NPC deputies urge measures to develop "holistic tourism"

Li Jinzao, head of the China's National Tourism Administration, receives an interview before the 3rd plenary meeting of the 5th session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 12, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan]

Deputies attending the 2017 annual session of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), have called for efforts to develop "holistic tourism."

Holistic tourism mainly features slow-paced and recreational tours across a part of a region, rather than the traditional model of sightseeing at an individual scenic spot or attraction.

The new concept was put forward by China's National Tourism Administration in 2015 in a bid to help better meet the demands of tourists today.

It was also included for the first time in the 2017 government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang.

Li Jinzao, head of China's National Tourism Administration, called for more comprehensive management suitable for developing the new strategy, which he dubbed as "1+3."

"'1' stands for the local tourism committee, while the '3' stands for the police force, a circuit court, and a branch of the local administration for industry and commerce focusing on the tourism sector. They will be in charge of properly managing tourism resources in accordance with the law, mediating disputes, and punishing the inappropriate acts of operators, especially those who bully fellow traders and dominate the market," said Li Jinzao.

To better develop "holistic tourism", analysts suggested that not only scenic spots but also villages and towns nearby should be standardized as tourism attractions.

According to a document released by China's National Tourism Administration, infrastructures will also be improved to provide more convenience for the tourists.

Roads to the country's major tourist attractions will be renovated by 2020, while large tourist destinations will have easier internal transportation.

China also aims to install and upgrade 100,000 restrooms across its tourist sites by 2020, applying stringent hygiene standards with environmentally friendly cleaning approaches.

Meantime, experts also urged that more measures should be taken to keep local tourism markets in order.

Deputy Ruan Chengfa, also the governor of southwest China’s Yunnan province, vowed to make efforts to deal with the misconduct existing in the local tourism sector.

"We will firmly crack down on the ambiguous interest chains between scenic spots, travel agencies, tour guides and shopping areas. We will set forth the strictest measures in Yunnan's history and eliminate the misconduct in Yunnan's tourism market at its source within one year," said Ruan Chengfa.

A series of incidents related to misconduct in Yunnan's tourism industry have sparked online outrage, including tourists being brutally attacked or forced to purchase souvenirs.

China's tourism revenue totaled about 4.7 trillion yuan, or roughly 690 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 13.6% year on year.

Domestic tourists made over 4.4 billion trips in 2016, while foreign travelers made more than 28 million visits into China.

The country will spend about 2 trillion yuan on the tourism sector by 2020, contributing over 12% of GDP.