China's Hebei province plans to invest more than 100 billion yuan to launch more than 100 key tourism projects each year over the next five years starting in 2011.
The Hebei provincial government will cooperate with authorities inside and outside the province to publicize its tourist attractions and build 10 popular tourism brands, so Hebei will evolve into a stronger tourist province in the future.
"Boosting tourism has become Hebei's key strategy for improving people's living standards and achieving scientific development," the province's Governor Chen Quanguo said.
Hebei's economy relies mainly on chemical industries with high energy consumption and high emissions, and the proportion of tertiary industry in the provincial economy is relatively small. In this regard, the highly-efficient, low-carbon tourism industry will play an important role in helping Hebei transform its economic development pattern and adjust its industrial structure.
Hebei, close to Beijing and Tianjin, is exceptionally rich in tourism resources. There are revolutionary attractions typified by the Xibaipo Memorial; imperial sites, such as the Chengde Mountain Resort as well as the eastern and western royal tombs of the Qing dynasty; seaside resorts, like Beidaihe; forest and grassland areas, including the Bashang Grasslands; mountain destinations, such as the Yanshan Mountains and Taihang Mountains and lakeside areas, such as Baiyang Lake and Hengshui Lake. These attractions have drawn numerous sightseers to Hebei from all parts of the world.
Hebei's primary task in developing tourism will be improving the transportation system. Over the next three years, 11 districts and cities in the province will be fully connected by high-speed railways, and a one-hour transportation circle connecting Hebei to Beijing and Tianjin will also be built.
In addition, all key scenic spots will be provided with highway access in order to form a sound integrated system that allows land, sea and air transportation.
According to Hebei's plans for boosting tourism, the number of visitors to the province is estimated to reach 135 million in 2010, 250 million in 2015 and 500 million in 2020. Furthermore, its total tourism revenue is expected to exceed 80 billion yuan in 2010, 200 billion yuan in 2015 and 500 billion in 2020.
In addition, tourism may become the province's pillar industry in 2015, and the size, quality and profitability of the tourism industry may reach the level of a strong tourist province in 2020.
Source: People's Daily
