Top 10 Global Tourism News of 2017

Tourists at the Great Wall. File Photo (Xinhua)

1. China and Other Countries Co-Launch Bilateral Tourism Year Programs, with Tourism Playing a Big Part in Public Diplomacy

On January 17, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard co-launched the China-Switzerland Tourism Year at Davos, followed by tourism year programs respectively between China and Australia, Denmark, ASEAN and Kazakhstan. Tourism has become a major part of public diplomacy.

(Source: global mainstream media)

2. Travel Continues Despite Terrorist Threats

On March 22, a terrorist attack near the Palace of Westminster in the UK resulted in five deaths and over 40 injuries. After that, the IPK International conducted a survey on “terrorist threats and tourism” in more than 20 tourist source markets across the world and found that the travel might be postponed, confined within one’s national borders, or rescheduled from “unsafe” destinations to “safe” ones, but would continue anyway.

(Source: Travel Daily UK, Strait Times in Singapore)

3. Russia Allows E-Visa Holders to Enter Far East

As an effort to simplify the visa policy, the Russian government allows foreign visitors holding an electronic visa to travel to the Far East from August on. From January 1, 2018, the e-visa holders will be allowed to travel to not just the Free Port of Vladivostok, but also the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Oblast.

(Source: Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

4. Caribbean Tourism Battered by Typhoon

On September 6, the typhoon Irma landed on Caribbean Islands, sweeping across many local tourist attractions and wreaking damages that were hard to recover in a short time. It also brings immeasurable loss to nearby tourist destinations such as Punta Cana, Cancun, Miami and Havana.

(Source: global mainstream media)

5. Zurab Pololikashvili Elected Secretary-General at the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly

From September 11 to 16, the 22nd General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was convened in Chengdu, China. It was the biggest general assembly in the UNWTO’s history in terms of the number of delegates present. It elected Zurab Pololikashvili, former Georgian Ambassador to Spain, as its new Secretary-General.

(Source: www.eturbonews.com)

6. The World Tourism Alliance Established

On September 12, the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), initiated by China, was established. It is the world’s first global, non-governmental and non--profit tourism organization. Following the vision that “Better Tourism, Better World”, it aims at promoting economic development, poverty reduction and peace through tourism development, strengthening international tourism exchange, expanding consensus, sharing experience, deepening cooperation and facilitating sustainable, inclusive global tourism development.

(Source: http://www2.unwto.org/)

7. Chengdu Convenes B&R Tourism Ministerial Meeting

On September 13, the Tourism Ministers’ Meeting of Countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) was convened in Chengdu, China. It attracted the participation of tourism ministers from over 100 countries and regions, the heads of 41 international organizations and more than 1,000 delegates. It then issued the Chengdu Initiative on Tourism Cooperation along the Belt and Road. The number of Chinese tourists visiting other B&R countries and regions in 2017 is expected to exceed 25 million.

(Source: Jing Daily, etc.)

8. Chinese President Xi Calls for More Efforts to Promote the Toilet Revolution, Receiving Extensive World Attention

On November 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the nation to promote the Toilet Revolution nationwide, attracting extensive international attention. The move was reported and commented by global mainstream media including BBC, RFI, CNBC, Japanese Sankei, Zaobao, and The Economic Times of India. China’s Toilet Revolution has been a media sensation across the globe.

(Source: global mainstream media)

9. Tourism Contributes to over 10% of Global GDP and Employment

At the Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism on November 27 in Jamaca, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced that: in 2016, the tourism revenue amounted to USD 7.6 trillion, accounting for 10.2% of the global GDP and the tourism industry hired 292 million people, accounting for 10% of the global workforce. It shows that tourism is playing a growing role in global economic development.

(Source: http://www2.unwto.org/)

10. The U.S. Bans Travelers from Six Muslim-majority Countries

On December 4, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to enforce the travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries, prohibiting the entry of travelers from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Chad into the U.S. On December 6, U.S. President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, provoking widespread protests. The regional situation is still complex, casting shadow over global tourism development.

(This article is reprinted from the China Tourism News. Editors in charge: Dong Jing, Zhu Chuange)