40 years on

Editor’s Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

Since the first China International Tourism Conference held in 1983, attracting delegates from 45 countries and regions, the tourism industry has flourished.

Last year, Chinese toursits made more than 130 million trips overseas, up 7 percent year-on-year, according to the China National Tourism Administration. In the next five years, the number is expected to hit 700 million.

China has become the largest spender in international tourism globally since 2012, according to United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Inbound tourism numbers are also on the rise with the number of inbound trips reaching 139 million, a record since the international financial crisis of 2008.

Tourism has become the new growth engine for the country’s economy in recent years. The industry accounted for more than 11 percent of GDP last year.

A series of preferential policies such as tax refunds and visa waivers have been implemented in many big cities including Beijing and Haikou, Hainan province, to boost inbound tourism.

In September, the 22nd General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization was held in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It was held in Beijing in 2003.