Vice Chairman of the National Peoples’ Congress Cheng Siwei stressed to put more emphasize on studying the rules of development in tourist industry.

He made the remarks after hearing a report on the current situation on China’s tourism industry. He urged to study the relations between tourist development and economic development and put more efforts on the industry’s theoretical and legal construction.

Cheng said that at present, China was at the middle stage of industrialization. The secondary industry accounted for 50 per cent of the total national economy. In order to build a modern society, it is necessary to develop the tertiary industry. Tourism industry, as a pillar in the tertiary industry, is now facing opportunity for development.

He said that tourism industry should be defined as one having characters both in the traditional service industry and modern service industry. In some aspects, tourism industry is a knowledge- and technology-intensive industry, which makes it different from the traditional catering business. It is necessary to cultivate its modern features.

Talking about the tourist products, Cheng said it is necessary to make different products and adopt different marketing strategies in light of tourists’ different tastes. Tourist products should be diversified and enriched with more cultural value.

Cheng also stressed to pay more attention to improve the management and service quality in tourist industry and improve its legal construction.  

(Chinanews.cn August 30, 2005)