The State Council issued a circular on Aug 11 which focuses on boosting tourism investment and consumption so as to develop the modern service industry and increase employment.

The circular focuses on improving tourism infrastructure and consumption, stressing the need to improve the tourism consumption of “soft environment,” provide high-quality consulting and transportation services, promote the construction of parking lots and roads, regional airports in the country’s mid-western area, and public restrooms at scenic spots.

In order to promote investment and open new markets for tourism, the State Council plans to speed up construction of campsites for self-driving tourists, promote cruise tourism and yacht vacations, develop featured tourism, tourism-related products, and tourism equipment industry, and promote the development of “Internet plus tourism”.

The circular aims to promote the development of featured tourist commodities, tourism for the elderly, study tours, and health and wellness tours to stimulate tourism consumption and cultivate new consumption hotspots.

The circular also aims to improve rural tourism, and focuses on efforts to develop rural tourism based on the local environment and culture, improve infrastructure and encourage mass entrepreneurship in rural areas, and alleviate poverty with the help of rural tourism.

It also focuses on the implementation of paid leave and calls for flexible leave schedules of government departments, enterprises and other institutions, in an effort to stimulate tourism consumption.

In addition, the circular calls for stronger government support, such as the introduction of a tourism shopping tax refund policy, setting up a tourism development fund, assistance for enterprises involved in tourism investment and projects through public-private partnership, and supporting tourism infrastructure and public service facilities.

It also focuses on the wise exploitation of land, sea, and islands related to the tourism industry, and promotes the development of financing channels for tourism enterprises.