China Lays Stress on Developing Its Western Tour ResourcesDeputy Director Zhang Xiqin of the National Tourism Administration recently revealed that China will use 800 million yuan of national debts to support the infrastructure construction of major scenic spots, 600 million yuan of which will go to the western part of China.While attending the Three Gorges International Tourism Festival in Chongqing, Zhang said that the central government is formulating a series of preferential polices for the development of west China's tourism so as to expedite the process of the western development. China's western region abounds in tourism resources. It has nearly half of the country's natural landscape and historical sites. The Three Gorges, the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Xishuangbanna, the golden tour-line of the "Silk Road", the Potala Palace in Lhasa of Tibet, the stone carvings of Dazu and other world-level attractions in this area all enjoy good reputation in the world. Presently all the provinces and regions in China's west have, without exception, fostered and developed their tourism as pillar industry. However, they are short of capital and qualified people to develop their tourism industry. Zhang said that tour in west China has been listed as the focus of the National Tourism Administration for publicity and sales promotion. The largest domestic tourism fair is scheduled to be held in Xinjiang this July and such a fair will take place in west China next year. Apart from self-promotion, the eastern part of China will also put emphasis on the promotion of touring in China's west. Meanwhile, the National Tourism Administration is implementing the program of training personnel for the development of tourism industry in west China, and managerial personnel with the tourism bureaus in the comparatively backward western regions will get free training. |
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