Vietnam Tourism to Emerge as Tourists Hot Spot by 2016

Vietnam tourism industry is expected to grow at a CARG of 14% during the next five years’ period (i.e. from 2007 to 2011). And, the country is expected to become one of the top ten tourist destinations by the year 2016.

In its recently published market research report on “Opportunities in Vietnam Tourism Industry (2007-2009)", RNCOS has found that the tourist influx in Vietnam would grow at a CAGR value of approximately 14% over the next five years (2007-2011).

Vietnam is one of the best performing economies in Asian region. The country welcomed around 3.6 million international tourists last year (2006), representing a 2.1 million increase from 2000. And, receipts from incoming tourists reached almost US$2.4 Billion (around 3.9% of overall GDP), US$1.2 Billion up against 2000.

By 2016, Vietnam is expected to emerge as one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world. As a result of the tourism industry’s expansion, there will be more job opportunities, and increased incomes & consumer spending. This will also drive the economic growth in the country. Aviation, transportation, hospitality and other industries closely associated with the tourism industry will also benefit from this surge in tourism.

As per the RNCOS report “Opportunities in Vietnam Tourism Industry (2007-2009)", “Tourism is amongst the most rapidly growing industrial sectors in most countries of the world. And, in Asian countries, Vietnam in amongst the destinations enjoying maximum growth rates in tourist arrivals.

In recent years, the country has welcomed visitors from different countries. The list includes long haul visitors from countries such as US, China, Australia, and France, and regional travelers from adjoining countries within ASEAN (Association of South-East-Asian Nations) and high spending visitors from North East Asia.”Key issues and facts analyzed in this report include: performance of Global tourism, Asia-Pacific tourism and ASEAN tourism industry, position of Vietnam tourism industry with respect to the ASEAN tourism industry, outbound tourism, domestic tourism, and expenditure by inbound tourist, etc.

Thailand will Attract One Million Chines Tourists

From June 07 to September 07 this year, the Thailand National Tourism Bureau will launch Green Travel packages targeting Chinese tourists, and it will specifically launch special trips for Chinese senior citizens. Bali Island and Phuket will also arrange various activities for family tourists from China.

Nongnart Wattanachart, a director from the Thailand National Tourism Bureau, expressed during his recent visit to Shanghai that Thailand would attract one million Chinese tourists to visit Thailand this year and it would expect to receive three million Chinese tourists by 2010.

Xiao Qianhui, general manager of Shanghai Spring-Autumn Travel Service Company, told local media that Chinese citizens spend an average of six days in Thailand during each visit and they spend 6000 Baht each time, excluding the expenditure on transportation and accommodation. Xiao said that in order to better expand Thailand's Phuket market, Shanghai Spring-Autumn Travel Service has opened a branch in Phuket.

At present, airline companies such as Shanghai Airlines, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines and Dragonair all have launched flights to Phuket Island. China Eastern will resume a Shanghai-Phuket line from July 16 and China Southern will launch a Guangzhou-Phuket line from July.

Vietnam Attracts Indian Tourists In A Big Way

Vietnam, ranked among the top 10 countries expected to see the strongest tourism growth in the next decade, is keen to get more and more Indian visitors, who now number just a trickle.

'We now want to pitch ourselves hard in India especially as it represents one-sixth of the population. It is obviously a huge tourist market for us,' says Do Minh Tuan, deputy director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

'We have a master plan on tourism in place. So, obviously we need to run more promotion campaigns to boost our image in the international market,' said Tuan.

One major reason for the Indian modest arrivals, officials say, has been the absence of direct flights between the two countries. Last year, just over 5,500 Indians visited Vietnam, which is famous for its ancient architecture, stunning landscapes, pristine beaches and historic relics.

Vietnam Airlines and Indian Airlines have announced sharply reduced round-trip tickets on the New Delhi-Bangkok-Hanoi route to lure more Indian tourists.

'I would imagine that if direct flights were started, there is bound to be increased volumes of tourists. Also, more tourism campaigns are in order as many Indians still believe that Vietnam is a war-ravaged country, which is not the case,' exclaims India's consul general Jitendra Nath Misra.

Last year, Vietnam had nearly 3.6 million foreign tourist arrivals. It expects to get four million tourists this year. Topping the list were tourists from China followed by South Korea, the US, Japan and Taiwan.

As Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung sets off next week on his maiden visit to India, promoting tourism will be on top of his agenda, especially with India's rising profile.
'We have great potential to develop tourism. This is one area which both countries need to bolster,' said Dzung.

Vietnam hopes to get at least 5.5-6 million foreign visitors and 25-26 million domestic ones by 2010, to take its total tourism revenues to $4-4.5 billion.

Cambodia, Myanmar Agree On Tourist Air Links

Cambodia and Myanmar have agreed to direct flights between the two countries, home to some of Southeast Asia's greatest cultural treasures, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said on Wednesday.

"There will be direct flights from Bagan and Mandalay, which are Myanmar's main tourist destinations, to Siem Reap," he told reporters, referring to the tourist town near Cambodia's famed Angkor temples.

"We have the same culture, same civilizations as we're Buddhists," he said. "We need to have direct flights so that we can attract more international tourists to visit our two countries."

Hor Namhong, who accompanied Prime Minister Hun Sen on a two-day official visit to Myanmar, said other direct flights were planned between the Southeast Asian countries.

The 800-year-old Angkor Wat temple complex is largely responsible for an explosion of tourists to the war-scarred nation, which attracted 1.7 million visitors last year.

Cultural aficionados say the similar-aged Buddhist temples in Bagan in central Myanmar are a close rival to Angkor, but a chronic lack of infrastructure in the former Burma power cuts are a daily problem and foreign credit cards are rarely accepted means they attract only a fraction of the number of visitors.

Airlines in Thailand have tried to promote a similar "cultural package" in the region, with flights linking Angkor to the ancient Thai and Lao capitals, Sukhothai and Luang Prabang, and Hoi An in central Vietnam.

Cambodia, Myanmar Move To Strengthen Tourism Ties

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with junta head Senior General Than Shwe in military-ruled Myanmar on Tuesday, officials said, as the two nations moved to improve tourism links. Officials from both countries have said the focus would be trade and tourism.

Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP that Hun Sen would discuss ways of making travel easier between Myanmar and nearby Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, with possible direct flights and package tours.

"Buddhism will be the potential tourist link for these four countries -- like Cambodia, there are a lot of temples in Myanmar," Khieu Kanharith said.

These talks are hoped to spur action on a tourism agreement already signed between the two countries, but which has not been implemented yet. Tourism is a key industry in impoverished Cambodia, and tourist arrivals in Myanmar are also creeping up.

On Monday, Hun Sen met with acting premier Thein Sein and a number of officials, including the transport and foreign ministers and the deputy minister for tourism, the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

Source: Asian News from AFP

UN aids Cambodia to develop eco-tourism

The United Nations' World Tourism Organization (WTO) has signed an agreement with the Cambodian Tourism Ministry to help the country develop eco-tourism in its northern province of Kratie, local media said on Saturday.

According to the agreement, the WTO will grant technical assistance worth 700,000 U.S. dollars to help establish sustainable eco-tourism system, improve protection of environment, and develop tourism promotion programs in the resort areas in Kratie, Cambodian daily newspaper Koh Sonthephea reported.

The development projects aim to attract more tourists to Kratie, which boasts primitive scenery and endangered species habitants, and contribute to poverty reduction in the country, the WTO said.

Source: Xinhua

Mondulkiri as a Potential site to attract eco-tourists

Mondulkiri as a Potential site to attract eco-tourists

Cambodia, flush with its success in attracting half a million foreign tourists to the massive temple complexes at Ankor in Siem Reap Province, is now turning to the eastern province Mondulkiri as a potential site to attract eco-tourists.

Already the government, with help from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is now processing a master plan for new destinations in the province on the border with Vietnam.

Thong Khon, secretary of state for tourism, said the more than 200-page master plan covers the background, characteristics, assessment of tourist sites, the tourist market and infrastructure projects for the two provinces to begin sustainable development. But development will not be easy.

Mondulkiri is some 400 kilometers from Phnom Penh, a distance that requires 12 hours to traverse by car over a still poorly developed road system.

And within the province itself, roads and tourism services are still minimal -- only two guesthouses and an electricity supply that shuts down at 9:30 p.m. each evening.

But Long Vanny, deputy director of tourism in Mondulkiri, said his province has a great potential for naturalists and other eco-tourists because of its waterfalls, hill-tribe villages, plateau grasslands, highland forests, mountains and rare wildlife.

He said there are at least 60 waterfalls that would be as attractive to adventure tourists as would the many kinds of wildlife species still in the area, including wild buffaloes, wild elephants, tigers, deer, bears and Cambodia's national animal the kuprey, a kind of wild cow.

So far, Mondulkiri receives only about 100 to 200 tourists annually, far less than Siem Reap's 500,000 visitors.

But the government is keen to develop natural, ecologically friendly tourism in the region particularly because Mondulkiri's mass forests are being illegally logged.

Tor Soeuth, the provincial governor, said infrastructure development in his province will contribute to poverty reduction and if that infrastructure includes making Mondulkiri more accessible to tourism, then the provincial living standard can be lifted and more resources devoted to fighting the illegal logging.

At the national level, Thong Khon, the tourism secretary, wants to add eco-tourism to Cambodia's already successful cultural tourism program represented by the Ankor temples.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, pointing to both Cambodia's vast natural ecology and its 1,080 temples in 14 provinces, said, ''We pride ourselves to be a nation rich in tradition, unparalleled cultural heritage, archeological treasures, pristine tropical ecology and diversified natural beauty.''

Cambodia sees tourism as one of the six key directions for accelerating economic growth and promoting poverty reduction.

It already earns about $120 million a year from tourism and hopes to see that double, or more, by attracting at least one million visitors annually from 2003.

''We have to think about the trend of tourism in this new world in which tourists prefer a variety of destinations offering culture, entertainment and eco-tourism,'' said Ruos Sam Ear, director of tourism planning and development.

Provincial tourism deputy director Long Vanny said more tourists visiting Mondulkiri would mean more income for his people.

The population in Mondulkiri is just 39,600, almost 80% of them from 20 hill-tribe minority groups who are ready to welcome tourists.

People in Mondulkiri can grow coffee, bananas, corn and tea, but because there is so little infrastructure and too little tourism to create new markets, few provincial citizens farm now.

But with an increase in ecologically friendly, culturally neutral tourism, officials such as Long Vanny believe his province, Cambodia as a whole, and foreign visitors can all benefit.

Official e-Visa by Kingdom of Cambodia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has launched e-Visa, which enables you to apply for a Cambodia tourist visa online. Instead of applying through Cambodian Embassy, all you need to do is to complete the online application form and pay with your credit card. After receiving your Visa through email, print it out and bring it along when you travel to Cambodia.

Tourist Visa
Entry Type: Single entry only
Fees: USD20 + USD5 (processing charge)
Validity: 3 months (starting from the date of issue)
Length of Stay: 30 days. Minimum length of stay is 24 hour.
Processing Time: 3 business days
Requirement: A passport validity of more than six months balance at time of entry, a recent passport-size photo in digital format (JPEG or PNG format), a valid credit card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express/Discover).
Visa Exemption: Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore
Countries not supported: Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan (Please apply your Visa from your nearest embassy or on-arrival at all major checkpoints)

Apply Online: http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/index.php

Cambodia eVisa Blog: http://www.cambodiaevisa.com/

TOURISM WILL DRIVE ADDITIONAL US$110 BILLION TO ASIA PACIFIC TO 2009

TOURISM WILL DRIVE ADDITIONAL US$110 BILLION TO ASIA PACIFIC TO 2009

Eighteen Asia Pacific destinations are expected to receive more than US$110 billion in additional tourism revenue over the next three years, according to a new report by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Thailand will be one of the biggest beneficiaries, gaining almost US$13 billion by 2009. Other markets likely to receive strong receipts growth over the forecast period include Malaysia with close to US$11 billion; Korea (ROK) with US$7 billion, China (PRC) with US$36 billion; and Macau SAR with US$5 billion.

These findings are contained in the Asia Pacific Tourism Forecasts 2007-2009 report which was just released by PATA.

The predicted windfall for Thailand follows on from the results of the recent Asia Travel Intentions Survey 2007 which revealed that nine percent more travelers were looking at Asia as their next travel destination. One in five ranked Thailand as their most likely destination with 84% of Swedish respondents most likely to consider the destination for a holiday within the next two years.The survey was jointly conducted by Visa International Asia Pacific (Visa) and PATA.

”One of the fast growing regions in the world, Asia Pacific stimulates some 60% of global tourism demand. Last year, we recorded 350 million international inbound trips - that's almost 100 million more arrivals to Asia Pacific shores than we saw at the end of the twentieth century, only a few years ago”, says John Koldowski, Director of PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre.

”And PATA expects this momentum to continue in the medium-term with arrivals growth averaging around six cent per year to 2009.”

”While inbound flows are expected to continue in the medium-term, Asia Pacific shall remain largely an intra-regional bloc. Most of this growth will come from other Asia Pacific markets with some of these expected to show double digit growth. Hong Kong traffic into Japan is expected to grow by 17% over the forecast period; China (PRC) to Singapore by 16%; India to China by 15%; and USA and Canada to China each by 13%”, he added.

Produced by PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre, the Asia Pacific Tourism Forecasts 2007-2009 is a must-have resource for travel industry decision-makers and researchers who need in-depth knowledge to formulate winning business strategies.

It is researched and prepared by the noted Professors Lindsay W. Turner and Stephen F. Witt, both of whom are internationally recognised as leading experts on the econometric modeling and forecasting of tourism demand.

For more information, visit http://www.pata.org/catalogue or email sic@PATA.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
ABOUT PATA
Mission statement: ”The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. In partnership with PATA's private and public sector members, we enhance the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region.”

Founded in 1951, PATA is the recognised authority on Asia Pacific travel and tourism. PATA provides leadership and advocacy to the collective efforts of nearly 100 government, state and city tourism bodies, more than 55 airlines and cruise lines, and hundreds of travel industry companies. In addition, thousands of travel professionals belong to dozens of PATA chapters worldwide. PATA is a not-for-profit organisation. Find out more at http://www.pata.org/

ABOUT THE ASIA PACIFIC TOURISM FORECASTS 2007-2009 Regarded as the travel industry's essential business planning tool for the next 3-year period, the report features comprehensive numeric insights into the pattern of this year's growth, detailing those sub-regions that are riding high and which are slowing down, which destinations are enjoying a tourism boom, and which ones are still on the road to recovery.

39 Asia Pacific economies are profiled, offering detailed arrivals forecasts and trends analysis, detailed departure forecasts for 12 economies, receipts forecasts for 18 and accommodations projections for a further 13. This edition includes a new chapter on regional forecasts for China PRC and Thailand, plus forecasts for US destinations, Guam and Hawaii; and Sarawak in Malaysia.

ABOUT THE ASIA TRAVEL INTENTIONS 2007 SURVEY Commissioned by Visa Asia Pacific and PATA, the research conducted between 20 February and 2 March 2007, using an online methodology. The research was conducted by panel partner GMI Research in 10 countries: Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Sweden, the UK and the US. A total of 5,050 respondents were identified and categorized as committed or possible Asia travelers and were asked to comment on the following potential barriers: travel experience and intentions, attitudes to travel in Asia and particular destinations, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, perceptions of negative events and culturally and environmentally sustainable tourism.

ABOUT VISA
Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial institutions through the world's largest electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the physical and virtual worlds. Visa is committed to the sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth.Visa products currently generate more than $4 trillion in sales volume worldwide. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/Plus is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in over 170 countries. http://www.corporate.visa.com/

PATA Press Release Online pressroom: http://www.pata.org/news
PATA Corporate Communications
Ms Min Min Wong
Tel: +66 (0)2 6582000 extension 107
E-mail: minmin@PATA.org

Thailand Travel Mart 2007

AMAZING GATEWAY TO GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION (TTM+2007) June 7 - 10, 2007

Since 2001 Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Tourism Industry play host to Thailand Travel Mart, Thailand biggest annual travel mart which has continue to gain a recognition as an important distribution channel to present quality tourism products as well as a platform for travel trade to meet and exchange ideas on tourism trends of Thailand and beyond. This year’s TTM 2007, targeted quality invited buyers from key and emerging markets and sellers from Thailand and the Mekong Region countries. In addition, TTM2007 will be held in conjunction with Thailand Tourism Festival for Thai consumer which will help to boost the publicity of the event.

Three of Thailand’s primary travel and tourism showcase events are to be merged into one large function targetted at both the trade and consumer during 7-10 June 2007 at Challenger Hall, Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition Center.

The event will bring together the Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) 2007 Plus Amazing Gateway to Greater Mekong Subregion and Thailand Tourism Festival 2007 (TTF 2007), making it the biggest such event to be ever held in the country.

About 315 sellers from Thailand and GMS countries are expected to participate in the Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) 2007 Plus Amazing Gateway. These include 224 hotels, 5 airline, 8 ecotourism and adventure operators, 18 medical & health tourism facilities, NTOs and other services, 29 tour operators and 31 companies from the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The broad range of sellers will mean that the 350 invited buyers will have an opportunity to get information about products and services about Thailand as well as all its neighbouring countries.

Hosted buyers are carefully selected by the TAT with cooperation from its overseas offices and private sector. The registration fee is US$200, EUR155 or Bt7,400 for each hosted buyer with complimentary air fares, accommodation and transportation to and from the venue provided.

Other local and overseas operators are also allowed to participate at their own expense. The registration fee is USD70 or EUR55 or Thai Baht 2,590 for each non-hosted buyer.

About 50 corporate buyers from Thailand will be invited to attend on the afternoon of the final trade day to give additional exposure to the sellers. This will be followed by two days of consumer participation on June 9-10.

The event is especially important for the small and medium sized enterprises which do not have the large marketing budgets to afford participation in the major international trade shows.
Meetings between buyers and sellers are arranged by a matching appointment system with 70% of scheduled appointments being pre-arranged before the mart opens, leaving the rest to be done on-site. Each appointment will last 15 minutes.

The official programme will begin on June 6, 2007 with a welcome reception in the evening at Siam Paragon, a newly-opened world class shopping and entertainment centre. The business functions will be held on June 7-8 at the Challenger 3, Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition Center, the world’s largest column-free exhibition hall, Asia’s largest indoor exhibition center and Thailand’s largest ballroom.

Media are those invited by TAT's overseas offices to cover the travel mart as well as participate in the fam trips. Several complimentary post-mart tours are being organised by the TAT to take buyers and the media to surrounding areas such as:

> Trendy Bangkok

Route: Boutique and Hip Hotels in Bangkok
> A Legend of Historical River

Route: Bangkok - Chachoengsao - Nakhon Nayok
> Journey Back to History - Classic Amphawa

Route: Bangkok - Samut Sakhon - Samut Songkhram – Ratchaburi
> Colors of the East - Country of Tropical Fruits and Peaceful Beaches

Route: Bangkok - Rayong – Chanthaburi
> Classical Central - Chic Vacation by the Romantic Coastline

Route: Bangkok - Samut Songkhram - Phetchaburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan
> Pattaya - City of Variety

Route: Bangkok - Pattaya (Chonburi Province)

For more details, please check out prdiv3@tat.or.th

Fair Information
VENUE: Challenger 3, Impact Exhibition and Convention Center.
Schedule : June 7-10 ,2007

Trade Days & Consumer Days

June 7-8 (Thursday and Friday), are Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) or “Trade Days” – the show will be opened to Trade Buyers only.

From evening of June 8 onward to June 9-10 (Friday – Sunday), are “Consumer Days” – the show will be opened to the publics. More than thousands of Thai consumers and expatriates expected to visit TTF to shop and book for their holiday and travel.

Sellers are invited to participate for both Thailand Travel Mart and Thailand Tourism Faire as this will be a good opportunity of conjoined events to meet with both travel business partners for negotiation and trade deals as well as consumers to promote and expand direct sell channel.

For latest Tentative Programme, Please visit:

http://www.thailandtravelmartplus.com/tentative_programme.html

Welcome to the Thailand Travel Mart and Experience the Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion!

Yunnan moves toward greater integration with Vietnam

Yunnan moves toward greater integration with Vietnam

Recent transport agreements signed by China and Vietnam highlight the growing importance of the Yunnan-Vietnam trade relationship. The agreements were signed during a visit by Yunnan Governor Qin Guangrong to Hanoi for the Vietnam Expo 2007.

The transportation ministries of Yunnan and Vietnam's Lao Cai province signed an agreement earlier this month which will expedite border-crossing procedures for vehicles carrying cargo or passengers between the neighboring provinces.

The agreement will benefit trucking firms, which will no longer be required to unload their cargo at the border for transport via other trucks.

Tourist and passenger services between Yunnan and Lao Cai will also be expedited, giving travelers from Yunnan easier access to destinations including Lao Cai City, Sa Pa and Van Ban.China's Ministry of Communications and Vietnam's Ministry of Transport also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier in the month paving the way for China to help its neighbor to the south build four expressways that will further integrate the two countries' road networks.

In the MOU, China pledged technological support including feasibility studies and road design on a Hanoi Airport expressway as well as the Hanoi-Lang Son, Hanoi-Haiphong and Hanoi-Lao Cai expressways.

According to Chinese government statistics, Vietnam overtook Myanmar as Yunnan's largest Southeast Asian trading partner in January of this year.

The Hanoi-Haiphong and Hanoi-Lao Cai expressways are of particular significance to Kunming as they will provide a road link via the Chinese border city of Hekou to the port of Haiphong - the closest port to Kunming. A 400-kilometer expressway connecting Kunming with Hekou is scheduled for completion this year.

The Hanoi-Lang Son expressway will connect the Vietnamese city with an expressway into Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, via the Chinese border city of Youyiguan. Goods traveling into Guangxi will be able to continue on to major cities in and around Guangdong province including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. No timetable for completion of the roads has been given.

Source: GoKunming

Kunming-Bangkok road to put into use this year

Kunming-Bangkok road to put into use this year

A Chamber of Commerce delegation from Thailand will visit Kunming later this month and sign a cooperative contract with the local government of Yunnan Province. They will also discuss further economic cooperation between the two sides after the completion of the Kunming-Bangkok Highway this year.

Kunming-Bangkok road is a main project supporting China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone. It starts in Kunming and terminates in Bangkok, with the section extending over 1,900 km. Currently the construction of the Chinese section of the road has been completed, and the Thai section will be finished later this year.

Recently a transport association in Yunnan has signed a cooperative contract with the local government of Bankok. The association will help to pool the transportation resources of some 858 enterprises in Yunnan to boost trade between Thailand and Yunnan.

Source: ChinaNews

China to become world most popular tourist destination by 2020

China to become world most popular tourist destination by 2020

The World Tourism Organization predicts that in 2007, the number of overseas tourists in the Asia-Pacific region will grow at an annual rate of more than 4%, while China will become the world's No.4 most popular tourist destination. It is expected that China will exceed the United States to become the No. 1 tourist destination in the world by 2020,, the Yangcheng Evening News reported.

China's fast growing tourism industry has promoted the growth of other related industries, such as hotel industry and catering business. Many world-renowned hotels have established their chain hotels in China. Of the 200 five-star hotels in China, 60% are world famous brand hotels. In China, hotel business market is large and mature, which is irresistibly attractive to global hotel business. Their success in China means they have controlled a large market share in the world.

China's hotel industry started to generate profits in the fiscal year of 2005-2006, according to the "China Hotel Industrial and Research Report for the Year of 2007". The general performance of hotel industry is good as the accommodation rate of hotel rooms and the average price of rooms are both climbing. It is expected that the good situation will continue in 2007 and 2008, and hotel industry can continue to grow between 2007 and 2010.

In 2008, some 1,079 new hotels will open in the world, which can provide 131,517 guest rooms. This shows that in 2008, the net growth of new hotels will reach 2.8%. More hotel construction will begin in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China, where nearly 50% of the new construction will occur. China's hotel industry has made the fastest development in the world. As a result, other industries related with hotels have also witnessed a fast momentum of growth. In China, demand for hotels increases at a rate of more than 10% every year.

Tourism Boom

China has seen a boom in tourism in recent years. The country's tourism industry is expected to bring record revenues of a trillion yuan, up ten percent from 2006, according to the National Tourism Administration.

Some 129 million inbound visitors from overseas are expected to visit China in 2007, five million more than that last year. Domestic tourists are projected to take 1.5 billion trips within the country, up eight percent against last year.

The Chinese government has been encouraging its citizens to travel more to stimulate domestic consumption. China earned 33.5 billion U.S. dollars from tourism last year, making the country the sixth highest tourism revenue earner in the world.

Source: ChinaNews

China builds golden tour route in Lancang-Mekong River

China builds golden tour route in Lancang-Mekong River

Information from the Yunnan Provincial Navigation Administrative Bureau shows that since China kicked off a regular international passenger line from Jinghong port, in Yunnan, to Thailand’s Chiang Saen port in September, 2006, passenger load has surged in the Lancang- Mekong River. It is recorded that about 16,000 people traveled through the line in 2006, increasing by 90% from the previous year. A tourist route surrounding the border areas of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand is taking shape. On a large perspective, an international golden tourist route has been formed in the region.

Extending 4,880 kilometers in length, the Lancang-Mekong River flows past through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is a river that passes through the largest number of countries in Asia.

People living on the banks of the river have their distinctive ethnic cultures and local customs, which are displayed in everything from the houses they live in to the clothes they wear. From the river origin to its estuary, the river covers almost all kinds of geographical features except desert. The rainforests along the river and the breathtaking natural scenery have make it a golden tourism route, which the expert Li Qingyou, director of the Tourism Bureau in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, says is both ideal for people to enjoy the ecological scene, ethnic cultures, and sightseeing, and to conduct scientific studies.

In order to make the river serve its people, China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand worked together and started to jointly explore the river two decades ago. Since the beginning of the 1990s, China has dug 260 kilometers of navigation channel at the section of the river in Yunnan Province. In 2001, a commercial navigation route traveling from Simao in Yunnan Province to Luangprabang, an ancient city of Laos, was officially opened. In 2006, the capacity along the Lancang-Mekong River was upgraded from the sixth to the fifth grade. Ships with a loading capacity below the 300-ton class can cruise the river throughout the year, said Qiao Xinmin, director of the Lancang River Navigation Affairs Bureau.

At present, tourist agencies in Yunnan have built seven large vessels for the river cruise, which contain altogether 500 cabins. By the end of this year, the express highway built from Kunming to Bangkok will be put to service. By then, a golden tour route will take shape along the border areas of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, and tourists can travel to the Lancang-Mekong River by air, water, and land.

Source: ChinaNews