Nature tourism comprised a third of China’s domestic tourism last year, registering 1.2 billion visitors/trips during the year, according to the 2014 annual Chinese Tourism Investment Report.
Meanwhile, deputy director of China National Tourism Administration Wenxue Wu has identified certain major areas that have been attracting investments in China’s tourism industry.
- Investment in nature tourism segment had the fastest growth, at above 64%.
- Investment in the online tourism continued to grow. The OTA segment saw 160 investment projects in 2014 and generated investments of RMB30 billion, six times more than 2013.
- Comprehensive tourism projects were drawing increasing funding.
- Roadtrip and RV tourism is increasingly favored by investors, attracting RMB8 billion in investment in 2014. More than 70% of domestic travelers opt for self-drive and there are now 10,000 RVs and 200 RV campsites in the country, with 470 more under construction. Mr Wu said the level of investment is far short of demand for outdoor tourism. As camping accounts for around 50% of total travel in developed countries, he believed there is plenty of room for growth in this segment.(Translation by David)
