A key phrase in China's plans for 2010 is "sound development," which requires a sustainable economy. To achieve this aim, the country is making efforts to guide all of its economic sectors to focus on transforming the pattern of development, and restructuring the economy.
For thousands of years, Poyang Lake has been nurturing the people in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, and attracting visitors with its charm.
Since the beginning of this year, several areas around the lake have been investigating the eco-tourism potential of the region.
Poyang County, for example, intends to invest 100 million yuan in tourism infrastructure planning and construction in the next two years.
The Poyang Lake National Wetland Park is part of the plan. This center will offer one-stop service to tourists as soon as it's completed in May.
Zhang Yunnan, Deputy Director of Poyang Lake National Wetland Park, said, "We're working to turn the National Wetland Park into an international leisure tourism destination in three to five years."
Other facilities include new roads connecting the downtown hub with the scenic spots, a wetland research institution, wetland conservation projects, and a business center.
The development of eco-tourism also calls for the participation of area residents. Local governments have announced preferential policies encouraging residents to establish their own businesses.
Meanwhile, some one-thousand fish restaurants have created more than three-thousand job opportunities.
Zhan Zihua, Restaurant Owner, said, "We plan to invest another 200-thousand yuan to involve the sightseeing sector in our business. That'll make it more prosperous."
Just one week ago, a Poyang Lake Eco-Tourism Union was formed, in line with Jiangxi Province's Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone strategy. Local governments say the union will transform the competition between different scenic spots into resource sharing and mutual benefit, thus building a new image for eco-tourism to the district.
