Wu Guoping, chairman of Wuxi Lingshan Cultural Tourism Group [Photo/wxrb.com]
Wu Guoping, deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and chairman of Wuxi Lingshan Cultural Tourism Group, offered his take on the future of Chinese tourism, which has stagnated due to the novel coronavirus epidemic, after learning about this year's Government Work Report.
Wu said that scenic areas ought to decrease their reliance on a "ticket economy" in favor of diverse, large-scale tourism.
In order to stimulate consumption in the tourism industry, Wu suggested that relevant departments help resume cross-provincial tourism in some low-risk areas and implement specific policies to revive tourism.
For badly suffering tourism enterprises, more favorable policies such as tax and fee reductions and other forms of financial support may be able to help them pull through, Wu added.
In addition, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region is creating opportunities for the further development of the tourism industry, according to Wu.
The Big Nianhua Bay project, funded by Wuxi Lingshan Cultural Tourism Group and to be built in Yixing, is expected to serve as a model for how to properly manage water ecosystems and increase tourism. Its first phase will open to the public in 2023 and most tourists are expected to come from other cities in the Yangtze River Delta, Wu said.
Wu also noted that new technology will be used in the construction of the project, in order to provide visitors with a better tourism experience. Over 10,000 jobs will also be provided to locals.
