Jiangxi achieves record high tourism revenues

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2011-12-20

Jiangxi province generated over 100 billion yuan in tourism revenue and will launch a ticket-free month for major tourism scenic spots in the province, said Wang Xiaofeng, director of the provincial tourism administration at a news conference on Dec13 in Nanchang.

As of November 30, the province had received 154 million Chinese and foreign tourists, yielding 107 billion yuan in total tourism revenue, up 37.1 percent over the same period of last year. It was the first time that the province broke the 100 billion yuan revenue mark. Jiangxi expects to maintain a high record in attracting tourists and tourism revenue this year.

To celebrate the fruitful results and facilitate tourism in winter, Jiangxi launched a province-wide ticket-free tourism month promotion. During the period, travelers with identity cards may tour scenic spots free of charge.

This is the first time the leading scenic spots have been free to the public, unprecedented in the country. The promotion will last from Dec 20, 2011 to Jan 20, 2012.

Zhu Hong, vice-governor of Jiangxi, spoke highly of the performance of the tourism industry. He said Jiangxi’s tourism service has entered a crucial stage of transformation and upgrading. It must change from simply pursuing quantity-based growth to improving quality. It must give priority to increasing tourism consumption and revenues. In particular, it must develop tourism products and innovate with marketing modes to realize rapid growth of non-basic tourism consumption, he added.

Zhu conducted grassroots research and held eight province-wide conferences on tourism in 2011. He also visited other provinces to promote tourism in Jiangxi.

Driving forces

The fast development of the tourism industry is attributed to government support. The Jiangxi provincial government has attached great importance to tourism. It has exerted all efforts to integrate and make the best use of rich tourism resources. It has explicitly stated its plan to build Jiangxi into a tourism-strong province with revolutionary and ecological themes.

Departments from the province’s tourism sector worked closely to establish supporting policies and innovative measures. The government has vigorously motivated parties to actively participate in the course.

Tourism is developing in diversified forms in the province. Jiangxi has led the country in boosting revolutionary themed tourism. In 2011, the province hosted the China Revolutionary Expo to boost the Red Tourism brand.

The province also furnished 600 recreational agricultural and rural tourism scenic spots to improve traveler experiences at rural sites. In winter, hot spring scenic spots attract numerous tourists, a new growth point in the tourism economy.

The province has also stimulated recreational tourism, independent travel, self-driving tours, and business travel. The diversified tourism development mode has become a strong driving force to accelerate tourism industry in the province.

The province promotes tourism with its new catchphrase – “come and see unique sceneries in Jiangxi”. It has also initiated a series of promotion activities, including programs with China Central Television and China Radio International. It has launched Promotion Month activities in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Changsha, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Beijing. It has pushed forward 45 tourism marketing activities, set up partnership with 3,000 travel services, and opened up official micro-blogs on Tencent and Sina websites.

Vice-governor of Jiangxi Zhu Hong at a news conference on Dec13 in Nanchang (Photo by Ren Yongjun)

Director of Jiangxi provincial tourism administration Wang Xiaofeng at a news conference on Dec13 in Nanchang (Photo by Ren Yongjun)

Photo by Ren Yongjun