Wang Dongming: Sichuan to foster a strong tourism economy

Sichuan is striving to foster a strong tourism economy on the strength of its abundant and diverse tourism resources, said Wang Dongming, secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, in a signed article published on China Travel News on September 2.

Sichuan is richly endowed with tourism resources. It is home to five of China’s 50 world heritage sites and four of China’s 33 biosphere reserves included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The province is also characterized with the co-existence of different ethnic groups: it has the largest Yi community, the second largest Tibetan community and the only Qiang community in China.

Multiple cultures, including the Bronze Age culture, the Three Kingdom culture, the Red Culture and local folk customs, can be found here.

In recent years, Sichuan has boosted tourism development through a series of measures, ushering in a golden period for local tourism development. It has incorporated tourism into its overall plan for social and economic development, adopted a document entitled “Opinions on fostering a strong tourism economy in Sichuan,” set up Sichuan Tourism Development Commission, created a 10-billion-yuan equity investment fund for innovations in tourism, deepened pilot reforms among other efforts.

In the past five years, the number of 5A-rated scenic areas in Sichuan increased from 3 to 10; seven national-level tourist resorts and demonstration zones for eco tourism have been created; annual tourism revenues have increased by an average of 26.9 percent. Last year, domestic tourist arrivals amounted to 245 million; overseas tourist arrivals reached 2.73 million; tourism revenues hit 621.05 billion yuan, contributing 15.19 percent of local GDP. By these measures, tourism has become a pillar industry of Sichuan.

During the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), Sichuan reported 2.07 trillion yuan in tourism revenues, a size ranking fifth in China.

Currently, Sichuan is counting on region-based tourism to upgrade the industry. It is promoting the development of tourism economic belts and distinctive tourism economic zones, and creating eleven demonstration areas for region-based tourism.

Sichuan is also implementing the Internet Plus Travel strategy to integrate tourism, meteorological, and public security information onto different online platforms. Online tourism services, marketing and e-payment will be further improved.

Sichuan authorities have also organized various events, including the China (Sichuan) International Tourism Investment Conference and the Sichuan International Travel Expo, to attract outside investors. Since 2013, tourism investment deals worth 385.7 billion yuan have been signed, among which 272.4 billion yuan has been realized.

Marketing campaigns have also been launched to promote Sichuan’s tourism image both at home and abroad. The province had a new slogan last year: Sichuan, more than pandas; it signed strategic cooperation agreements with Nevada and Seul and established marketing centers in six countries and regions including France and Japan; a series of activities were staged under the theme of “European panda fans’trip to Sichuan.”

The fundamental purpose of Sichuan’s tourism development is enriching local people.

Currently more than four million people are in the sector of tourism services; 5000 villages develop tourism as a dominant or important industry; 150,000 rural households are engaged in rural tourism.

In the past three years, annual rural tourism revenues in the province increased by an average of 26 percent and reached 170.8 billion yuan last year. Per capita income of the households engaged in rural tourism reached 13,500 yuan; more than 500,000 people shook off poverty through tourism.

As a recognition of Sichuan’s tourism development, the World Tourism Organization will hold its 22nd session in Chengdu next year.