Vice Premier Demands More Rapid Tourism Growth

At the National Tourism Working Conference held in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, January 14-16, 2000, Vice Premier Qian Qichen demanded tourism growth be accelerated and more emphasis be placed on establishing joint-venture travel agencies.

He said China will try to win over well-known foreign travel agencies with better resources and relax restrictions on joint-venture travel agencies. He also encouraged large travel agencies to set up joint-venture branches in foreign countries. He said joint development of tourism in Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong should be promoted.

He said that China's central and western areas boasts unique tourist resources. Local governments should attach great importance to the development of the tourism industry and try to transform tourist resource advantages into industrial advantages.

Vice Premier Qian also demanded that tourism departments improve their service and safeguard tourists' legitimate rights and interests.

Overall Development of Tourism

According to the latest statistics of the China National Tourism Administration, China received 72.79 million tourists foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in 1999, up 14.7% over the previous year and the number of overnight tourists amounted to 27.04 million, increasing by 7.9%.

Foreign tourists came up to 8.43 million, growing by 18.6%. Foreign currency earnings topped US $14.1 billion, up 11.9%; domestic earnings from tourism reached 283.1 billion yuan, up 18.4%. The total income from tourism topped 400.2 billion yuan, up 16.4% over 1998.

The number of tourists from Japan, Russia, Germany and France grew by two digits; tourists from the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore sharply rebounded; tourists from North America and Oceania kept their normal growth; tourists from Hong Kong and Macao increased sharply, and the number of tourists from Taiwan registered a new record. China received more than 8 million foreign tourists in 1999, 13% more than that of 1997, the record high in history.

China's Tourism Industry Sets Goals for the Next 20 Years

At the National Tourism Working Conference, He Guangwei, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), said China will strive to become a world tourist power (as opposed to an Asian tourist power) in 20 years.

By the year 2020, the number of tourists from foreign countries, Hong Kong , Macao and Taiwan to China will top 135-145 million, 1.1 to 1.3 times of 1998. Income from domestic tourism will amount to 1.9-2.7 trimillion yuan, 6.9 to 10.3 times of 1998. The total tourist income will exceed 3.3 trillion yuan, accounting for 8% of the gross domestic product and becoming the pillar industry of the national economy.

He noted that the goal is consistent with the World Tourism Organization's predictions for China.

CNTA's goal for the year 2000 is for China to receive 29 million overnight tourists from foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (9.2 million foreign tourists included) and 740 million domestic tourists, and accomplish US $ 15 billion foreign exchange earnings, 330 billion yuan of domestic tourist income and 450 billion yuan of total tourist income, up 12% over the previous year.

Goals for Shanghai's Tourism Industry

Shanghai plans to attract 79.5 million Chinese and foreign tourists and accumulate 95.4 billion yuan (US $1.15 billion) in tourist income in 2000, an increase of 5.7% and 5% respectively over the previous year. The number of foreign tourists will come up to 1.72 million, up 5.7% over the same period of the previous year. The average daily consumption of overseas tourists who stay in Shanghai for more than four days will be US $220. These are the goals set by the Shanghai Tourist Commission. In 1999, Shanghai received 74.98 million Chinese and foreign tourists and earned 89.97 billion yuan.

Taiwan is the Major Tourist Source Market for Fujian

According to the latest statistics from the Fujian Provincial Tourism Administration, Fujian Province received 370,000 tourists from Taiwan from January to November 1999, an increase of 13% over the same period in 1998, accounting for over 30% of the total amount of overseas tourists received. Insiders said that Fujian's improved tourist facilities have provided a fine tourist environment for the Taiwanese. Wuyishan was appraised as one of China's best tourist cities by the China National Tourism Administration in January 1999 and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List not long ago.

Hong Kong Will Build a Marine Organism Center

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government plans to begin the construction of the Marine Organism Center at Taipo this coming summer and complete the construction by the end of next year.

Total investment will top 38 million Hong Kong dollars. The sea floor area will cover 1,033 square meters. It will contain an aquarium, exhibition hall and laboratory. After the center is put into operation, Hong Kong citizens and overseas tourists may appreciate varied corals and marine organism from a boat with a glass bottom.