The World Travel & Tourism Council has
updated its report on China in an attempt to measure the runaway
growth of China's tourism economy.
WTTC President
Jean-Claude Baumgarten said the WTTC would "normally wait five or
even 10 years before returning to a country to update the report,"
but "it is clear that China's travel and tourism industry is moving
at the speed of light."
The WTTC report
forecasts travel and tourism consumption, investment, government
spending and exports to grow at 14%, or $353.7 billion in 2006. The
10-year annualized growth, from 2007 to 2016, is projected to be
8.7% per annum.
Foreign visitors
are projected to spend $75.1 billion in 2006 and will comprise 7.4%
of total exports. The direct impact of travel and tourism will
account for 2.9% of the total Gross Domestic Product. With the
indirect effect added, it will account for 13.7% of the GDP.
Tourism will
account for 17.4 million jobs in China, or 2.3% of the total
employment. In terms of both direct and indirect impact, the
industry will account for 77.6 million jobs, or 10.2% of total jobs
depend on travel and tourism.
The WTTC report
made a number of policy suggestions to the Chinese government to
encourage more tourism growth, including:
Develop the
budget hotel sector; encourage open markets and open skies;
Develop a
regulatory framework for the timeshare industry;
Expand
English-language education and make it a required course for travel
and tourism programs;
Develop access
to capital and encourage long-term investment; and
Promote
responsibility in natural, social and cultural environments with
clear procedures and guidelines.
To contact
the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to David Cogswell
at [email protected].