Students volunteer Mandarin skills for International Pow Wow

• May 19, 2011 1:00am

25 Mandarin-speaking volunteers from the American Language Program at Cal State East Bay will escort and interpret business meetings for 100 Chinese delegates, tour operators and journalists during the International Pow Wow in San Francisco on May 21 through 25.

The event is known worldwide in the travel industry as the major marketplace for transacting inbound U.S. travel business. It is expected to generate more than $350 million in tourism business for San Francisco.

More than 1,100 international and domestic tour operators from 70 countries will attend the “pow wow” inside Moscone Center. The event will also host 3,500 exhibitors from the United States and 450 international and domestic travel journalists, making it the largest travel industry trade show in North America. There will be three evenings of exclusive events for the attendees at some of San Francisco’s premiere attractions and unique locations, plus one night open for private parties.

CSUEB’s interpreters will volunteer their services Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The volunteers have been trained in the background of International Pow Wow and the travel industry so they can assist in translations during meetings with U.S.-based travel suppliers.

EB