Cooperation Sought to Boost Tourism

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 ◆ Cooperation Sought to Boost Tourism

Henan, a central China province known for its abundant cultural relics, plans to boost the local tourism industry by attracting overseas investment and expanding cooperation with foreign travel agencies. This is aimed at increasing the non-trade foreign exchange earnings, said Governor Li Keqiang at a recent provincial conference on the opening of the province to the rest of the world. The provincial government has adopted a series of favorable policies to encourage local travel agencies to seek international cooperation and to lure foreign travel agencies to bring in more tourists. Meanwhile, local authorities have set up overseas offices and special websites for the promotion of tourism. According to government plans, Henan's overseas tourist arrivals will reach 454,000 by the year 2005, which means an annual average growth rate of seven percent in five years.