The
Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020)’, recently
issued by the government of China, sets the ground for the
redefinition of tourism development and
management in the country.
The
Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), issued by the
State Council of China, focuses on promoting the taking of paid
annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of
the tourism sector in China, in particular by ensuring the
coordination of different sectors.
Where
previously cultural norms have stopped many in China from taking an
annual leave, the Outline, which reinforces existing Regulations for
Paid Annual Leave for Employees, encourages government agencies,
social organizations, enterprises and public institutions to promote
the use of leave days, giving moreover Chinese workers more freedom
and flexibility on the issue of where and when to travel.
“The
successful implementation of the new Chinese national tourism
strategy will surely impulse both domestic and outbound tourism in
China and we particularly welcome the decision to promote travelling
at different times of the year” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb
Rifai. “This document calls on a variety of sectors to
strategically consider their actions in view of the development of
tourism; it is another proof that China fully understands that
sustainable tourism growth requires cross-cutting policies at a
national level”, he added.
The
Outline, advocated for a long time by the China National Tourism
Administration (CNTA), comes four years after the tourism sector in
China was acknowledged as a ‘pillar’ industry of modern services
and one of the major social and economic sectors on the government´s
agenda.
