Red tourism programs get a new push
Approximately 900 million tourists visited revolutionary sites in China last year, with annual growth of more than 16 percent since 2004.
Hunan received 372 million tourists for Red tours from 2004 to 2014, raking in 168 billion yuan ($27.1 billion), says Wang Chaoxiang, deputy director of Hunan tourism bureau.
The Jinggangshan scenic spot, a famous site in China's revolution history, received 2.94 million foreign guests along last year, up 34.35 percent over the previous year. Tourism income hit $60.67 million, up 35.02 percent.
Efforts have been stepped up to protect culture heritage representing the revolutionary period, Luo adds.
Red tourism holds great potential, officials say.
A total of 4 billion visitors from China and abroad have taken such tours over the decade.
The international market has also rolled out Red tourism products to woo Chinese tourists.
Russia will build a leisure zone around the Soviet Union museum, and launch a tour route that covers Ulyanovsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Germany will develop tours that highlight places visited by China’s first premier, Zhou Enlai.
Authorities will take additional measures to boost Red tourism in the future.
"We will showcase more Chinese Red tourism sites at international travel expos to attract foreign tourists," says Li Yaying, inspector of the national tourism administration's international department.
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