China plans to boost travel
The Chinese government has announced a series of initiatives aimed at increasing travel among its citizens.
In a recently released document, the Chinese government emphasised the importance of travel for Chinese people, and the steps it would take to facilitate greater movement of its 1.34 billion people. These include continued developing of travel infrastructure, such as airports, highways, hotels and attractions, along with increasing the amount of paid leave for workers, offering tax deductions for company incentive and conference travel, and allowing schools to expand current travel windows beyond the summer and winter breaks.
Commenting on the report, the US-based travel body, the NTA, said the document represented a major opportunity for the USA and other countries.
“We’ll see student groups coming not just for summer camps or winter holidays but during the regular school year,” commented Haybina Hao, the NTA’s director of international development. “We’ll also see more travellers coming to attend business conventions and study tours, as well as more families and seniors groups.”
The Chinese plan calls for a 10% increase in domestic and international travel in 2013, which, if achieved, would see domestic trips increase to approximately 3.19 billion and outbound tourist numbers rise to 88 million. The UNWTO has forecast that China will contribute 100 million outbound tourists by 2015.
According to data from the China’s National Tourism Administration, Chinese domestic trips and outbound trips rose 10% and 15% respectively last year, to 2.9bn and 80m. Inbound arrivals to the country however, dipped 1.5% to 133m.