China’s Tourist Industry
Before reform and opening up, the scale of China’s tourist industry was very small and it mainly focused on foreign affairs. After reform and opening up, China’s tourism began to boom at an astonishing speed. It has become a main force driving the development of economy and an important pillar of the tertiary industry. The number of both domestic travel and international travel soars in recent years.In 2002, domestic travel has reached 878 million people; foreign travelers have reach 97.91 million, and Chinese people traveling abroad has reached about 17 million. China has turned out to be an great tourism country in both Asian region and the world.
There are several reasons contributing to the prosperity of tourism in China. First, attributed to the reform and opening, the living standard in China has remarkably improved and traveling has become a symbol of being well-off. Second, after entering the WTO, all industries in China has gained more chance to get in touch with the international community, including the tourism. Under this circumstance, tourist industry has a better environment to strengthen itself. Third, the strategy of west development has helped to explore the tourist resources in west China. More and more people began to pay attention to the scenic spots in west region, which greatly boost the domestic tourism.Fourth, China’s increasing international status and strengthening power also help to facilitate the development tourist industry. As China increasingly catches the eyes of the world, the international community starts to be interested in China and more people would like to travel to China to appreciate its specific culture and history. Fifth, as tourist industry turns out to be a main driving force of China’s economy, Chinese government redoubles efforts to make policies that is beneficial to its development. Therefore, the tourist industry of China prospers significantly in recent decades.