New app to boost Yunnan tourism

Mar. 1， 2018 （China Daily） -- A government-sponsored app E-Travel in Yunnan which covers transportation， accommodations and ticket reservations in the province， is scheduled for release. Online package services include ticket reservations， hotel bookings and parking accommodations. Purchases of local delicacies will also be offered to visitors. Travelers will be able to lodge complaints through the app.

Mobile app helps tourists find public toilets

Mar. 3， 2018 （CNTA） -- Locating public toilets can be frustrating for tourists， but a mobile app is helping tourists find nearby facilities with just a tap on a screen. Launched at the start of this year， the tourist toilets navigation system developed by the CNTA and online mapping service provider amap.com has received 15 million visits from mobile users across China.

Light show for EU-China 2018 Tourism Year

Mar. 5， 2018 （Xinhua） -- The Gellert Hotel got painted by lights in the colors of China and the European Union on Saturday evening to celebrate the EU-China 2018 Tourism Year. The light show was part of a ceremony co-sponsored by Chinas Tourism Office in Budapest and the department of international tourism relations of Hungarys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

A record of Chinese tourists travel abroad

Mar. 5， 2018 （Peoples Daily） -- Outbound visits by Chinese residents hit a record high of over 130 million in 2017， making China the worlds biggest source of outbound travelers， and Chinas outbound travelers spent US$ 115.29 billion last year. Chinas outbound tourists now have a higher demand on the quality of tourism products， looking for more foreign experience.

Beijing receives 297 million tourists in 2017

Mar. 7， 2018 （CGTN） -- Beijing received over 297 million tourists from home and abroad in 2017， up 4.3 percent on an annual basis. Tourism revenue during the year reached RMB 546.9 billion yuan， with a year-on-year increase of 8.9 percent. Beijing launched 171 new rural tourism programs， built 222 kilometers of walking trails in 2017， and developed tourist routes for foreign visitors.

Peach blossoms “sweep” Linzhi in Tibet

Mar. 7， 2018 （China Daily） -- Peach blossom is the signature flower of spring. As buds gradually open， they signal the arrival of spring in Linzhi， Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. Unlike peach trees in south and east China， peach trees in Linzhi are taller with more profuse flowers. The pink peach blossom “path” in Linzhi extends 30 kilometers， making it the longest “flower path” in China.

Floral tourism blossoms in Guizhou

Mar. 8， 2018 （Xinhua） -- Flower tours are flourishing in southwest Chinas Guizhou province. In the first quarter of 2017， Guizhou received about 145 million tourists， a year-on-year increase of 35.4 percent. Revenue exceeded 135 billion yuan （US$ 21 billion） from January to March last year， up 38.8 percent over the same period of 2016. Flower tours contributed significantly to the boom.

Jiuzhaigou reopens to the public

Mar. 8， 2018 （Xinhua） -- Jiuzhaigou， a scenic area in Southwest Chinas Sichuan province， is a natural treasure on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List and a popular destination for people to enjoy nature. This “paradise on earth” has reopened on March 8， the first time the park has welcomed visitors since a Magnitude 7 earthquake in August last year.

Sichuan secures RMB 10b yuan for huge panda park

Mar. 12， 2018 （China Daily） -- Construction of the planned Giant Panda National Park took a step forward as the Sichuan provincial government has secured funding of at least RMB 10 billion yuan （US$ 1.58 billion） in the next five years. According to an agreement signed by multiple parties， including the Sichuan provincial branch of the Bank of China and the Sichuans Department of Forestry， the bank is in charge of securing the financing by 2023 for the parks construction. The park will cover 27，134 square kilometers — three times the size of Yellowstone National Park in the United States.