China builds tourism facilities to bolster industry

BEIJING - China will build more tourism infrastructure, including cruise ports and RV parks, and give employees more flexibility in arranging vacation time to boost consumption.

Cruise ship tourism should be encouraged and 10 ports for cruise vessels will be built by 2020, according to a document released Tuesday by the State Council, China's cabinet.

"Boosting investment and consumption for tourism is of great importance to improving quality of life and developing modern services," noted the document.

Great efforts should be made to improve tourism facilities, and 57,000 clean toilets at tourist attractions will be built or renovated within three years, it said, adding the toilets will be well-maintained and free of charge.

Private capital is encouraged to partner with government funding in building 1,000 parks for RV tourists and other independent travelers by 2020, and all important tourist attractions and tourist cities should be staffed with professionals to provide tourism information by 2020, it added.

If conditions permit, more flexibility should be given to employees to help them take vacations using Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Sundays, said the State Council.

These measures can help employees use their vacation time for travel more flexibly, while also tapping the full potential of tourism consumption, said Wu Wenxue, deputy head of the China National Tourism Administration.