Guizhou aims to be an international tourist destination, Li Zhanshu, Party chief of the province in Southwest China, said at an annual provincial tourism conference on Sept 26.

The province's tourism sector had generated more than 100 billion yuan ($15.63 billion) in annual revenue in 2010. The figure is projected to surpass 280 billion yuan in 2015.

"Our tourism products and resources are unique, a great attraction and satisfaction to visitors, which is fundamental and crucial to the development of local tourism," Li said.

One of the poorest economies in the country, the western inland province lags behind its advanced eastern coastal peers in infrastructure and services.

However, "if we make improvement in transportation, environment and services, the tourism sector will create glamour for local economy," Li said in confidence.

With diversity in ethnic cultures, natural beauty and a friendly climate, the province has a distinct advantage in tourism resources.

"The advantage in tourism resources should be transformed into an edge in industries, thus becoming a boost to Guizhou's growth," Li said.

Accelerated development of tourism is expected to help extend industrial chains of other sectors and expand their markets.

At the same time, it will also promote industrial upgrading, reduction of resources consumption and environmental pollution, and improvement in ecological system, he noted.

"Through tourism's openness and internationalization, we can showcase our features to the world and attract more inflows of people, cargo, information and capital," he added.

Emerging economies have become a new tourist destination over the past decade, a phenomenon that has brought an engine to international tourism, Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), said at the meeting.

And Guizhou is apparently an example of this trend, he said.

The senior WTO official said he was amazed at Guizhou's unique landscape, rich culture and hospitable people, even back during his first visit to the province.

The province boasts a combination of culture, ecology, music and tasty liquor, Frangialli said.

He said it came as a pleasant surprise to him when learning that there are now more than 3,000 villages involved in countryside tourism in Guizhou and thus many villagers have lifted themselves out of poverty.

The rural tourism is identical with UN's goals of fighting poverty, he said, adding that WTO will continue to support Guizhou's tourism, especially in plans and promotion.

WTO plans to help construction of local tourism infrastructure, a move expected to improve life quality of locals and preserve cultural heritage of ethnic groups, Frangialli said.

Host prefecture

The meeting venue - Qianxi'nan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture - itself saw a robust growth momentum in tourism over the past years.

Home to more than 20 scenic sites with a combined area of 450 square kilometers, many of them listed among State-level tourism scenic sites and cultural heritage, the prefecture had received 5.8 million tourists from home and abroad and earned more than 3 billion yuan in 2010.

With a vast reserve of gold, the area was named China Gold Prefecture by China Gold Association in 2005.

Yet what has really brought wealth to locals is the continuing development of tourism, local officials said.

Zhu Shanzhong, vice-director of the National Tourism Administration, said, "Tourism plays a crucial role in China's economy."

Guizhou is exploring an innovative path for developing tourism, with a highlight of local diversified culture, and helping rural residents get rich, Zhu said.

He said he hopes the province can step up international market expansion and human resources training, to realize its strategy goal in tourism development.

(China Daily 10/05/2011 page12)