Implementation Plan for the Development of Tourism Sector of Guangdong Province during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period

Source: People’s Government of Guangdong Province

In order to promote the high-quality development of the tourism industry and deepen the structural reform of the supply side of the tourism industry, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province recently issued the ‘Implementation Plan for the Development of Tourism Sector of Guangdong Province during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period’.

Objective
The Guangdong Province aims to become a robust tourism destination with constantly improving tourism development and a more complete modern tourism system by 2025. The overall strength and competitiveness of the tourism industry in Guangdong will be greatly enhanced by 2035, and it will become an important force in promoting the province's economic and social development.

Promote the innovation and development of technology-enabled tourism industry
To accelerate the development of smart tourism in Guangdong province, the government aims to promote the construction of cultural and tourism application platforms, improve monitoring and public service platforms, and support personalized smart tourism service platforms in certain regions. The government also emphasizes the promotion of new technologies such as 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in the tourism industry to enhance convenience and experience. Collaboration between the government, businesses, universities, and research institutions is crucial to promoting innovation and integrating resources in the tourism industry. The government plans to support the development of a national tourism science and technology demonstration park, a Guangdong Province culture and tourism technology collaborative innovation center, and the use of big data to improve epidemic prevention and control, tourism monitoring, and information public services.

Promote the upgrading of the tourism industry in the "One Core, One Belt, One Zone" development strategy
The Guangdong provincial government has announced plans to promote tourism development in three key areas: building an international urban tourism circle in the Pearl River Delta, constructing a high-quality coastal tourism belt, and promoting the development of an ecotourism highland in northern Guangdong. The first initiative will involve the construction of tourism hub cities in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and well-known tourism cities in six other cities, while supporting the creation of landmark tourist attractions and high-quality tourism routes. The second initiative aims to create a distinctive and prosperous coastal tourism belt through the development of high-quality coastal tourism projects and innovative island tourism. The third initiative focuses on developing ecotourism destinations, exploring and utilizing cultural resources, and promoting innovative and integrated development of red tourism, ecotourism, and study tours. The initiatives are expected to enrich the supply of tourism products and build an international first-class tourism corridor.

Protection and utilization of human and natural resources
The government aims to cultivate a unique and experiential tourism industry that focuses on creating distinctive products. The plan seeks to promote cultural tourism by protecting and developing cultural resources, encouraging the development of boutique performing arts projects, and nurturing traditional cultural heritage. The plan also aims to develop eco-tourism destinations, such as coastal islands, mountains, lakes, wetlands, and rural areas. The goal is to promote green development and establish ecological civilization education centers in key eco-tourism destinations. Additionally, the plan seeks to explore new paths for resource protection and utilization by building a Guangdong tourism resource database, promoting high-quality resource transformation, and establishing a natural protected area system based on national parks. The plan also aims to strengthen tourism enterprises and integrate cultural and tourism development while supporting related industries such as sports and technology.

Accelerate the construction of a high-quality tourism product supply system
The plan aims to develop a strong and unique tourism industry by focusing on creating distinctive and experiential products. The plan includes promoting core holiday products in world heritage sites, 5A tourist attractions, and national-level holiday resorts, as well as nurturing boutique performing arts projects and enriching cultural tourism. The goal is to cultivate two to three world-class tourist attractions and international first-rate holiday resorts while adding 35 4A-level or higher tourist attractions and 30 provincial-level or higher holiday resorts. The plan also includes developing red tourism, rural tourism, river tourism, and self-driving and camping tourism. In addition to promoting tourism, the plan aims to foster tourism enterprises and integrate cultural and tourism development while supporting related industries such as sports and technology.

Promote the expansion and improvement of tourism consumption
This includes measures such as implementing flexible vacation policies, encouraging the development of intelligent travel information services, and promoting the use of internet ticketing and QR code verification for tourism consumption payments. The plan also emphasizes the development of personalized and clustered tourism consumption products and services that meet the needs of new consumer groups such as "Generation Z," the elderly, and the new middle class. To improve tourism services quality, the plan includes the implementation of industry standards, the rating of star-rated hotels and travel agencies, and the strengthening of tour guide team construction and management. Additionally, the plan aims to enhance public tourism service quality by improving transportation connections, constructing tourist service centers and toilets along tourist routes, and promoting the construction of eco-friendly exemplary tourism toilets. Strengthened brand marketing and promotion efforts will include the creation of Guangdong cultural and tourism promotion products, the implementation of the "Bring Visitors to Guangdong" project, and the holding of various theme promotion events.

Advance the modernization of the tourism governance system
The plan outlines four points for promoting the modernization of tourism governance in Guangdong province. Firstly, strengthen the construction of tourism rule of law, including implementing relevant laws and regulations, streamlining administration and delegating power, promoting national, industry, and local tourism standards, and exploring the formulation of local standards for high-risk tourism projects. Secondly, enhance tourism market regulation efficiency, with a new regulatory mechanism, information sharing, special rectification campaigns, and credit rating and classification regulation. Thirdly, improve the tourism safety and security system, with interdepartmental coordination, local management responsibility, safety supervision, emergency response, and hidden danger investigation and rectification. Finally, establish a new trend of civilized tourism, with publicity and education, a convention for civilized tourism, advocating civilized dining and green low-carbon travel, encouraging tourism sites to provide incentive measures for star-rated volunteers, and expanding the tourism volunteer team. 

Enhance the level of Guangdong's tourism opening and cooperation
The province aims to develop inbound tourism steadily by building healthy, safe, and orderly exchanges with other countries. It also plans to strengthen marketing towards countries along the "Belt and Road" initiative and optimize the implementation of the "144-hour visa-free transit" policy. Additionally, the province will implement projects to improve the quality of inbound tourism services and promote inbound tourism products in various cities. The government also intends to strengthen the management and guidance of outbound tourism and support qualified provincial tourism enterprises to establish overseas tourism reception networks. Furthermore, it plans to enhance cooperation in tourism among Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and promote domestic tourism cooperation within China. Finally, the province will continue to promote high-quality international tourism cooperation with countries along the "Belt and Road" initiative and consolidate traditional international tourism markets.

Disclaimer: This document has been translated into English.  If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between the English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail. The full text of the measures, in Chinese, can be found below:
http://www.gd.gov.cn/zwgk/wjk/qbwj/yfb/content/post_4082729.html