CHINA - flexes its muscles to position itself as Asia’s largest outbound market

eTN Asia, 15-12-2006

China is consolidating its status as Asia’s largest outbound tourism.

In another instance of making the world sit and take notice of its potential as the
most lucrative source market for tourism, China has consolidated its status as Asia’s largest outbound tourism market as 28.55 million people travelled abroad in the first 10 months of this year.

According to China’s State Tourism Administration, the number has expanded by
some 10.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Shao Qiwei, head of the administration, attributed the increase in China’s outbound
tourists was the result of the Beijing’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 which opened up the tourism industry. With the opening of the tourism industry, Chinese tourists can now visit 132 countries and regions, up from the limited 18 destinations in 2001, including the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

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