27 June 2003
China bounces back after SARS scare
Han Kui's phone has been ringing frequently for the past two days. The vice general manager of the Outbound Department of the China Youth Travel Service Tours Holding Company expressed his excitement over the resurgence of China's tourism industry.
Many people, like Han, are optimistic that China will soon recover and experience a new growth. This was particular in its tourism industry despite the threat of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Wei Xiao'an, a senior official from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), said that management and market volume will go back to normal pre-SARS levels.
The tourism ball nearly stopped rolling but during the past two months, management of certain enterprises has improved. New furniture was also purchased by hotels.
China Travel Service general manager, Liu Jiaxiang, spoke of the revitalised market.
‘Ctrip Company,’ the largest tourism website in China, recently conducted a survey with results indicating that 80 percent of the respondents are willing to travel in the next two months with SARS properly controlled.
Health and safety will also become the priority of urban dwellers that prefer suburb tours, family tours, self-guided tours and day trips. Zhang Guangrui, the director of the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that travellers will opt for outdoor sites. CNT will allow group travel soon while travel agencies will promote small groups and short trips. Local governments will also participate to boost the tourism industry of the country. Tours of the Yangtze River, for example, will be organised and overseas travel agencies and journalists will be invited to visit the country.
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