Tourism a highlight of Shanxi’s development

Tourism is one of the most energetic industries in Shanxi province, Shanxi Daily reported on Dec 16.

The government has given policy support for tourism which contributed a lot to its development, according to Feng Jianping, head of the province’s tourism administration.

On June 1, 2015, the provincial government proposed 11 measures on promoting tourism in its official “Suggestions on Promoting Tourism Reform and Development.”

Also in the June, the province set up a team to guide and coordinate major issues in the tourism reform and development.

Four months later, Shanxi’s first tourism development conference was held, which was recognized as an innovation in the province’s tourism development.

“A series of preferential policies help to stimulate the tourism industry,” said an official of the Shanxi Tourism Administration, adding that both local and inbound tourism have rapid growth.

Statistics showed that Shanxi’s total tourism income grew 21.25 percent to 310.88 billion yuan ($47.97 billion) from January to October this year. Domestic tourism took in 309.19 billion yuan, rising 21.33 percent than the first ten months of last year.

The province spent 20 million yuan to subsidize rural tourism, which proved to be a driver for the tourism development in rural areas, especially the poverty-stricken areas.

Rural tourism gained 20.22 billion yuan of income in the first half of this year, according to statistics. Rural tourism is becoming an important approach for poverty relief and a channel for migrant workers’ employment after they return home.

This year the province has organized activities to promote its tourism brand: Shanxi, a land of splendor.

From April to July, the provincial authorities organized a promotion in nine provinces and municipality, from Sichun province to Ningxia Hui autonomous region. The promotion tour cemented Shanxi’s traditional tourists sources and developed new markets. moreover, the tourism companies in the province are transferring from individual promotion to marketing as a whole. As a result, the core competitiveness and anti-risk capacity of the province’s tourism industry increased.

In addition to going out for promotion, Shanxi also implemented a “bringing in” strategy to invite domestic and overseas travel agents to Shanxi. For example, Shanxi’s second international travel agents purchase conference in August attracted travel agents from 11 countries. Through the strategy, Shanxi aims to present its profound culture and rich resources and to tourists abroad.

At present, Shanxi is working hand in hand with several tourism alliances for overseas promotion, said Wang Wenbao, deputy head of the province’s Tourism Administration.

The province is also working to foster new tourism products and formats to meet increasing and diversified needs.

It hopes to promote the integrated development of tourism with culture, sports, agriculture and other industries to cultivate new industries and products.