(CNN) -- Most travelers headed to Asia these days are going to China, President Clinton's destination for this week's state visit.

According to Chinese tourism officials, more than 700,000 Americans are expected to visit this year, and many of those are visiting on business.

Deborah Valentine, author of "Crosstalk," a guide to multicultural communications, says doing homework before you go can help the trip and business deals run smoothly.

"The most important source is your U.S. Department of Commerce," she says. "They can arrange contacts for you. They can provide printed matter for you to read before you go."

Vern Yip searches the Chinese countryside looking for antiques, some of which will end up in an Atlanta restaurant he's helping to design, called Fusebox. He says a business trip in China is very different from one in the United States.

"I think when you go over there you need to be prepared to not necessarily be discussing business right away," he says. "I think you need to be sort of open to the fact that sometimes small talk is required."

American hotel chains are capitalizing on business travel to China.

"We've opened 10 hotels there in January and another 20 to 30 will open by mid-year, making Days Inn truly the largest franchise hotel in China," says Joseph Kane of Days Inn of America.

And that gives travelers like Peter Spirer, who imports furnishings, more options when it comes to setting up a base for conducting business.

"The Chinese people are more than welcome and willing to come to those venues to discuss business, show products or talk about what their aspirations are," Spirer says.

The president's state visit could prompt even more travel to China.

"I'm really hoping that through President Clinton's trip that more people become curious about Asia and China specifically," Yip says.

That's already happening. The World Tourism Organization predicts China will be the most popular tourist destination in the 21st century, with more than 59 million visitors expected by the year 2020.

Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET).