The undated photo shows an old Chinese woman visits in Europe. [Xinhua]

Many Chinese are again planning to travel abroad during the upcoming National Day holidays. In the past, an outbound trip was a luxury that few could afford. But that has changed over the past few decades as the country has grown more prosperous.

At the outset of the reform and opening up drive 30 years ago, it was impossible for most Chinese to travel beyond their regional borders, let alone abroad. However, what was once an unimaginable luxury has now become part of people's lifestyles.

In fact, few had ideas about foreign travel before the 1980s. In the early 1990s, China's tourism industry was just beginning to grow. At the time, the country had not so many scenic spots. Beijing, Xi'an and other historic cities were the hottest destinations.

Zeng Huiling, a retired teacher recalled the first time she traveled to Beijing in the 1990s and said the experience impressed her so much.

"People who had been to Beijing were very proud, and their friends were really jealous of them," Zeng said. "It was a dream for many people to take photos at Tian'anmen Square and upon the Great Wall. Most people dared not to think about traveling abroad."

Outbound travel to Hong Kong began in 1983 when the Chinese government first allowed people to participate in organized journeys to visit their friends and relatives in the region.

Huang Lejie, a resident of Chaozhou in southern China's Guangdong Province, still remembers his first trip to Hong Kong 20 years ago to visit his aunt whom he had not seen for many years.

Before his trip, all his relatives and friends were jealous of him. They asked him to buy some Hong Kong products for them, such as gold necklaces, a watch and some medicine, since Hong Kong was considered a global metropolis where few people had a chance to go.

Along with improvements in their living standards, the Chinese have developed a strong interest in traveling, and domestic tourism is also growing vigorously.

In the 1990s the Chinese government introduced an annual holiday practice. Every employee had an opportunity to take seven to 15 vacation days a year. More spare time boosted domestic travels as well as outbound tourism.

China's transportation system has developed robustly along with the tourism industry. China now has over 1,120 domestic and international air routes. Express inter-province or city-to-city tour buses run to all scenic spots around the country, providing bigger comfort and convenience for tourists.

Many people travel to Hong Kong for its world-class shopping and famous cuisine, especially those from Guangzhou and Shenzhen who love shopping in Hong Kong several times a month.

China will likely experience a travel spree during the upcoming National Day holidays. It is estimated that 6 million people will travel overseas, including 4.2 million who will make trips to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and 1.8 million who will visit foreign countries. Japan, South Korea and some European countries are the most popular foreign destinations.

Outbound tourism made a breakthrough in 1991. At present, many foreign travel agencies are operating offices in China to entice the Chinese to travel abroad, and outbound tourism is growing in leaps and bounds.

About 20 million Chinese traveled abroad in 2003. Four years later, the number doubled to nearly 41 million. The rate of increase was amazing even for the global tourism industry, which has grown by 4 percent annually in the past few years.

"If we look at the Chinese tourism industry from an international angle, the most important point is the incredible development of Chinese outbound tourism," Xu Jing, Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific at the World Tourism Organization said while praising the development of China's tourism industry. "It has already made changes to the marketing system and business model of some Asian destinations, and it surely will have a vital influence on the global tourism industry."

(CRIENGLISH.com September 27, 2009)