Richmond mayor, councillors visit Asia this week

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RICHMOND (NEWS1130) – Richmond’s mayor and city councillors are visiting Asia this week to try to drum up more tourism and strengthen business ties.

On Wednesday, a delegation of 21, including the mayor and six councillors are flying to China for a four-day trip.

“If we are truly looking to have people and businesses move here from everywhere in the world, then we have to look outside our boundaries and develop relationships,” says Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

He says the city carefully considered the expenditure.

“Our city council believes that what we are doing is in investment. We do get value for it, given the fact we have ambitions to attract people in the tourism business. We want to attract tourists,” he explains.

The councillors and reps from universities, the chamber of commerce and the school board, who are part of the delegation, will also be looking to increase educational and cultural exchanges.

Meantime, two councillors are in Japan until April 24, in an effort to get that country’s navy ships to partake in Richmond’s Tall Ships festival and to visit and drop off donations in Onagawa, a village hit hard by last year’s tsunami.

The total cost of the two trips is about $50,000. The last time city councillors visited China was two years ago.

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