Top 10 global tourism stories in 2017

The China National Tourism Administration's top 10 global tourism stories from 2017:

1. China launches bilateral tourism year programs

On Jan 17, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard launched the China-Switzerland Tourism Year at Davos. China went on to launch tourism year programs with Australia, Denmark, ASEAN and Kazakhstan. Tourism has become a major part of public diplomacy.

2. Travel continues despite terrorist threats

Following a terrorist attack near the Palace of Westminster in the United Kingdom on March 22, which resulted in five deaths and more than 40 injuries, consultancy IPK International conducted a survey on terrorist threats and tourism in more than 20 countries around the world. It found that travel might be postponed, confined within national borders, or rescheduled from unsafe destinations to safe ones, but would continue anyway.

3. Russia allows e-visa holders to enter Far East

In an effort to simplify its visa policy, the Russian government allowed foreign visitors holding an electronic visa to travel to its Far East from August. From Jan 1, 2018, in addition to the Free Port of Vladivostok, e-visa holders will also be allowed to travel to the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Oblast.

4. Typhoon Irma batters Caribbean tourism

On Sept 6, typhoon Irma made landfall on the islands of the Caribbean, sweeping across many local tourist spots and causing damage. It also brought great losses to nearby tourist destinations such as Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Cancun in Mexico, Miami in the United States and Havana in Cuba.

5. Zurab Pololikashvili elected new UNTWO chief at 22nd General Assembly

From Sept 11-16, the 22nd General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization was convened in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It was the biggest general assembly in the agency's history in terms of the number of delegates present. During the assembly, Zurab Pololikashvili, former Georgian ambassador to Spain, was elected as the agency's new secretary-general.