Chinese tourism moving at lightening speed
By Y. Sulaiman l eTN Asia
In a recently published report, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has predicted the Chinese tourism industry will become the second largest in the world after the US by 2016.
“We would normally wait for five to ten years before updating a country report, but it is clear China’s travel and tourism industry is moving at the speed of light,” said president Jean-Claude Baumgarten. “Our last report was just three years ago.”
The WTTC report, covering China, Hong Kong and Macau, revealed that China’s tourism will grow by an average of 8.7 percent per annum between 2007 and 2016.
For 2006, it forecast demand to grow by 14 percent, bringing spending by visitors to US$73.4 billion, representing 13.7 percent of the country’s GDP.
China’s travel and tourism industry currently provides employment for some 17 million Chinese, in the process creating a "spillover" employment opportunities for a further 77 million.
“Despite the rapid growth in the industry, China remains a challenging destination for international visitors due to poor infrastructure and English language skills.”
It also recommends development of more budget accommodation, promote greater air travel, greater protection of consumers, and enhance safety by creating contingency plans in the event of terrorism and natural disasters.
The WTTC further recommends two weeks additional paid vacations to enable Chinese workers to travel more during different seasons.
April 27, 2006
Posted in: China