EGYPT: Roadside Bomb Kills 4 In Giza, 3 Vietnamese Tourists And An Egyptian Tour Guide

Four people were killed and 11 other people were injured on Friday when a bus was hit by a roadside bomb in Giza, Egypt, the Interior Ministry said.

It was reported that three Vietnamese tourists were killed and one was an Egyptian tourist guide.

Ten of the wounded were Vietnamese tourists and one was an Egyptian, a ministry statement said.

The bus was hit by an explosion from an improvised device hidden near a wall on Marioutiya street at around 6:15 pm local time, it said.

The roadside explosion hit a tourist bus near the Giza pyramids.

The explosion occurred on Al Maryotiya Road, a long road off Al Haram Road, one of the most famous streets in Greater Cairo.

An Egyptian security source said the bus had 14 people on board and an IED exploded as it approached. The device was hidden near a wall on Marioutiya Street off Al Haram Road, one of the most famous streets in Greater Cairo.

Police forces and ambulances attended the scene, and the injured individuals were transferred to nearby hospitals.

Ahmed Samy, a tuk-tuk driver, said he saw the bus after the blast and and locals and drivers were helping the injured to get out. One of the passengers was dead and was covered in blood, he said.

No militant group has yet claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack. The most active group has been Daesh, which has been operating mainly in North Sinai. An Isis-linked group claimed responsibility for the explosion on the Russian plane.

Daesh also claimed responsibility for a January 2016 attack in Hurghada where two militants entered a hotel and stabbed three tourists. The Swede and two Austrians survived.

In February 2014, the militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which later pledged allegiance to Dsaesh claimed a bomb attack that ripped through a tourist bus on the Egyptian side of the Taba border crossing with Israel, killing four and injuring some 30 passengers.

Prior to the Russian plane explosion, the deadliest attack to target tourists took place in Luxor in 1997 when more than 60 people, the vast majority foreign tourists, were murdered by militants armed with guns and knives.

The prime minister, Mostafa Madbouly, visited the injured at Al-Haram hospital. He said that the bus had not followed the path it was supposed to take where it would have been secured by the police.

Tourism has been one of the main contributors to Egypt’s economy, contributing around 375bn Egyptian pounds to the economy (£16bn), or 11% of GDP, in 2017, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: New Opportunities For Thailand Tourism

New Opportunities” is one of 12 key topics for discussion at the 2017 WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) Global Summit, which will take place in Bangkok for two days beginning on Wednesday.

Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the summit is billed as the most influential travel and tourism event of the year, and it brings together hundreds of leaders from public-sector organisations and private companies to discuss the most important issues in the tourism sector.

Thailand has always been smart when it comes to meeting the needs of visitors, from the 1960s when the tourism industry in the Kingdom was taking off to the present day.
The sector is now one of the strongest pillars of the Thai economy, contributing Bt1.46 trillion to gross domestic product in 2015, which was twice the combined value of the country’s second- and third-largest export items.

In the same year, tourism generated 11.3 million employment opportunities, and it is forecast to account for almost 14 million jobs in 2017. Thailand’s ability to harness its huge attributes for marketing purposes has made it the envy of many.

The millions of visitors who come here each year are dazzled by the beauty of Thailand’s landscapes, the depth of our culture and cuisine, and the warmth and hospitality of our greatest asset: the Thai people.

Yet while these factors will always be integral to our marketing strategies, the TAT is aware of the need to get even smarter to meet the changing requirements of the digital age while capitalising on the core qualities of our country.

Our long-term goal is to move the industry from offering “value for money” to “value for experience”. We will focus on creating valuable and memorable experiences for quality tourists by creating valuable tourism products and upgrading product standards. This will mean greater emphasis on promoting creative tourism through Thai culture, experiences and way of life.

It is therefore paramount that we ensure that digital innovation is central to our efforts, consistent with the “Thailand 4.0” strategy that gears towards a value-based economy, incorporating smart devices, Internet of Things technology and creativity, as well as culture and high-value services.

Digital technology has revolutionized global tourism. Around the world, people are using their smartphones to do everything from paying for services and booking restaurants to seeking directions to tourism attractions and searching for hotels. Meanwhile, industries rooted in the sharing economy, such as Airbnb, Uber and Grab, have altered the previous rules of the game.

When you consider these and other advances, such as the proliferation of social-media networks and Internet platforms, the need for nimble thinking and coherent digital strategies has never been clearer.
I am proud to say that Thailand has established itself as a regional leader in efforts to deploy smart ways of marketing its tourism products.

Our new-look websites feature a responsive design that reflects our intention to offer all the information and functionality required by travellers who wish to plan a trip to Thailand, or to learn the latest news and updates on our travel and hospitality industry.

Each year, the official portal (tourismthailand.org) receives hundreds of millions of views, while social-media outreach, which includes Facebook and Twitter among others, is also widely checked.

Additionally, we have earned widespread praise for digital initiatives, such as our global marketing campaign to promote volunteer tourism, which was one of the winners of the first Digital Innovation Asia Awards in 2013.

Despite these successes, we are acutely aware of the need to keep pace with the almost daily advances in digital technology and the way that users interact with it. We are living in a time of rapid, unprecedented change, and it is vital that we keep ourselves ahead of this dynamic curve.

A recent study by online payment provider PayPal found that 29 per cent of travel businesses in the Kingdom had no mobile presence. With smartphone ownership in Thailand expected to reach 100 per cent within four years, we will continue to emphasise the benefits of digital thinking to businesses.

We must be fully aware of how technology has affected tourists’ behaviour and exploited it for marketing purposes. Few tourists now carry guidebooks, as everything is accessible from their mobile phones.

The emergence of sharing industries has totally changed the tourism landscape around the world. These and other developments are fundamental shifts that highlight the need for us to stay cognisant of technological changes that affect the behaviour of visitors. As travellers evolve, so must we.

Today’s digital traveller demands simplicity, convenience and trust like never before. By continuing to harness digital technology to meet these fluid requirements we can ensure a future for Thailand’s tourism industry that is not only bright, but smart as well.

JAMAICA: Jamaica Penetrating Asia To Attract Tourists

Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says Asia has now emerged as a big tourism market and Jamaica has been making good inroads in that region.

The minister, who is currently on a visit to Africa and Asia, also noted that a new report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) shows that Travel & Tourism generated 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs in 2016, as the sector grew by 3.3 per cent, outpacing the global economy for the sixth year in a row.

“The Chinese and Indians have become heavy travellers and the Caribbean is a huge part of their itinerary,” Bartlett said

“With our unique blend of tourism offerings, Jamaica has a golden opportunity to tap into this very attractive market. The marketing team of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), ably led by Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook, has been very active in this regard and has been making inroads in the Asian market,” he added.

The minister said the WTTC report noted that in addition to growing by 3.3 per cent last year, Travel and Tourism generated US$7.6 trillion worldwide, which is 10.2 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), when the “direct, indirect and induced impacts are taken into account.”

Bartlett pointed out that the sector also supported a total of 292 million jobs in 2016.

He said the WTTC report showed that South East Asia was the fastest growing region in the travel and tourism sector in 2016, growing by 8.3 per cent and was driven by what it called the expanding Chinese outbound market.

The other regions in the WTTC study registered the following growth: South Asia (7.9 per cent), North East Asia (4.6 per cent), Oceania (4.4 per cent), the Caribbean (3.2 per cent), North America (3.1 per cent), the Middle East (2.7 per cent), Sub-Saharan Africa (2.4 per cent) and Europe (1.6 per cent).

Bartlett said it is projected that by 2027, travel and tourism will generate more than 11 per cent of the world’s GDP and employ a total of 380 million people.

“It is estimated by the WTTC that one quarter of all jobs created in the next decade will be supported by travel and tourism,” he added.

VIETNAM: Vietnam Looks For Tourism Investment

Visitor numbers to Vietnam have been steadily increasing in recent years, but 70 per cent of international visitors do not return for another visit. Many visitors cite concerning issues, like personal security, traffic congestion, and pollution. The railways and roads are alarming, and not often safe. Lack of comfortable services and travel facilities are other reasons.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recognizes the need to invest more money into development. They’ve put forth a proposal to increase the budget to $5.25 million. However, this sum pales in comparison to the amount actually needed. Vietnam hopes to double the number of international visitors by 2020 (7.9 million arrivals in 2015), thus generating $15.1 billion in revenue.

The question is, of course, where will this investment come from? Vietnam has a long road ahead of it, including improving infrastructure and training a more skilled workforce. International standards for facilities must be met. Comparatively, other countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Malaysia are light years ahead of Vietnam in providing comfortable services for tourists.

These developments also seem to be taking precedent over marketing. Deputy Prime MInister Vuong Dinh Hue told tourism officials at a conference recently that lack of creativity has been more problematic than lack of money. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has been effectively promoting the country worldwide with its video content, for example, and it has been seeing an effective draw. But more efforts must be made to put Vietnam on the worldstage.

The country does have a lot to offer. From the sprawling metropolis of Hanoi to the spectacular iconic limestone pillars in Halong Bay, tourists have a lot to be excited about when it comes to the possibility of a more developed Vietnam. For backpackers on the Southeast Asia route, it’s one of the cheapest countries for their visit. Both the diverse foods and the warm people have charmed visitors as well.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the value of tourism in Vietnam is at 10 percent of the country’s GDP (as of 2015). It’s expected to grow another 6.5 percent over the next 10 years.

The government does indeed have the begining works of a plan. A 12-point-plan was released recently for the overall growth of Vietnam, and tourism development was a large part of this. Soon enough, we’ll all be packing our bags for cruises in Halong Bay or food tours in Hanoi.

TURKEY: Terror Attacks Cause Suffering To Turkey's Hospitality, Tourism And Travel Industries

Stunning architecture, a rich and ancient history, beautiful beaches and a bustling urban nightlife have long drawn tourists from around the world to Turkey and its capital, Istanbul.

But after a recent spate of violence and terrorism in the country, its tourism industry, an important part of the nation’s economy, is suffering.

Tourism accounted for a little more than 12 percent of Turkey’s gross domestic product in 2014, significantly higher than the global average of roughly 9 percent, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

But, according to a bulletin published by the Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the country saw a massive, 30 percent dropoff in the number of visits by foreigners in January through November 2016 compared to the same period in 2015.

In contrast, the 2015 period was down just 1 percent from January to November 2014.

Gül Taner, a sales manager for GurTur Travel, an agency based out of Harbiye, a neighborhood in Istanbul, said that in the 25 years her company has been in business, the country has never gone through anything like the violence in 2016.

“Until last year we never seen attacks like this,” Taner said. “This is a different chapter in Turkish history.”

“Terrorist attacks are negatively affecting all sectors of Turkish life right now and not just tourism,” she said.

A New Year’s attack in an Istanbul nightclub left 39 dead, a massacre for which ISIS claimed responsibility. ISIS was also blamed by Turkish authorities for an assault at the Istanbul airport in June that killed 41 and the terror group claimed responsibility for at least two other deadly bombings in the city in 2016.

In the mass shooting at the Reina nightclub on New Year’s morning, many of those killed or injured were foreigners from a diverse array of countries including Belgium, France, India, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, according to Turkish media.

Taner said she’s hopeful that the spate of terror attacks will slow that visitors hesitant visiting the country now will change their minds.

“I will always wish good things for my country,” she said.

Caribbean Enjoying Tourism

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Outgoing Caribbean Tourism Organisation Chairman, Richard Sealy

The Caribbean is riding on top of a tourism bubble like never seen before, but while the upsurge in tourist arrivals is a reason for celebration, industry players are warily watching emerging competition.

Outgoing Caribbean Tourism Organisation Chairman, Richard Sealy, told the organization’s State of the Industry meeting in Barbados this week that the region expects to have some 30 million visitors this year, outstretching the 28.7 million of 2015.

The projected increase could be the beginning of a trend because last year’s arrivals figure represents a seven per cent increase over 2014, surpassing world tourism growth that stood at four per cent.

But as Sealy explains, competition makes continuation of that trend questionable, “as encouraged as we are by the results and how far we’ve come, we need to accept the realities that must be grasped going forward... competition is becoming more intense”.

He pointed to other regions such as the Pacific, Asia, the Middle East, and North and Sub-Saharan Africa that are gaining in the tourism market.

Additionally the Minister noted that another form of competition has arrived - this time within the region - with the social and economic opening of Cuba, the one island with the potential to divert tourists from their other traditional Caribbean destinations.

It is believed that American tourists, especially, will be attracted to Cuba because of their curiosity about this destination which was shut off from them for some 57 years, and opened with US President Barack Obama touching down there only in March this year.

“Today we now have tourists who are more curious, who want to have a local experience,” Sealy said.

But besides being the bread and butter industry for many of the Caribbean island nations, tourism is a multibillion dollar earner for the entire region, so officials cannot afford to sit and wait on the onslaught of competition.

According to the latest World Travel and Tourism Council on the Caribbean, “the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was US$51.9bn in 2014, or 14.6 per cent of GDP”.

The council has estimated that figure is expected to grow by 2.9 percent to US$53.4bn, or 14.8 per cent of GDP in 2015.

The long term forecast is a rise by 3.3 percent annually to US$73.6bn by 2025, or 15.4 per cent of GDP.

Regional leaders and tourism administrators are, however, now finding themselves being called upon to walk the fine line between the desire for stepped up tourist attractions and the way of life of Caribbean people.

Even as he observed that the new tourism focus is on “the experience that is being seen not only by the budget traveller, but all travellers”, Sealy advised that Caribbean administrators must devise a meeting point between the expectations of citizens and those visiting in order to have a tourism product that is changing to meet new demands.

“That intersection point is where we have to locate our attention,” he said, and went on to explain that despite the importance of the tourism industry, it cannot be developed at the sacrifice of those who live in the region.

“Let’s face it, if the population is not with you, you can’t make the money, and your hotels and various institutions will have to a grinding halt, so we need each other.

“Meeting our visitor’s expectations along with meeting the expectations of our own respective citizenry is an imperative.

Travel & Tourism Growing Amid Terror Fears

Global travel spending is still growing, although at a slower pace, despite weakening economies and fears over terrorism.

The World Travel and Tourism Council, a group backed by travel providers with the mission to promote tourism, said in a report Monday that global travel spending for 2016 is expected to grow by 3.1 per cent. That is down from a March forecast of 3.3 per cent but still outpacing global economic growth, which the group expects to be 2.3 per cent.

Macroeconomic problems have a much bigger impact on travel than terrorist attacks, the group's president, David Scowsill, said.

"Travellers aren't going to allow isolated terrorist attacks to put them off travelling," he said. Tourists worried about safety in France have chosen Spain or Italy instead, for example.

Scowsill said destinations with tourist-specific attacks usually take two years to recover, while other types of attacks lead to a faster resumption of travel.

Other travel groups are also seeing the slowdown in travel spending.

The International Air Transport Association recently noted that while more people are flying, the upward trend "has moderated since January" and the per cent of seats occupied has actually slipped slightly.

"The fragile and uncertain economic backdrop, political shocks and a wave of terrorist attacks are all contributing to a softer demand environment," said the group's head, Tony Tyler, in a statement.

And back in April, the Global Business Travel Association warned of slowing volume from U.S.- originating business travellers.

Of course, not each part of the world is facing the same growth or problems. The World Travel and Tourism Council breaks down expected 2016 travel spending this way:

- South Asia leads growth at 5.9 per cent, driven by strong economic prospects in India.
- Latin America is expected to be the worst performer, with an anticipated decline of 0.9 per cent, driven by weakness in Brazil.
- Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia are seen growing at 4.7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively, stimulated by China growing at 6.3 per cent.
- North America matches the global growth rate of 3.1 per cent.
- Europe is expected to face challenges and only grow by 2.2 per cent.

It's a different story in the United Kingdom, which recently voted to leave the European Union. Growth there is actually expected to exceed the rest of Europe at 3.6 per cent. The travel group expects weaker domestic spending and a 3 per cent drop in outbound U.K. trips. However, it expects all of that to be offset by higher spending in the U.K. by international visitors benefiting from greater spending power as a result of the weaker British pound.

ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines Eyes Increased Passenger Volume

Ethiopian Airlines is eyeing a higher volume of 16,000 passengers between Kuala Lumpur and Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, compared with the 10,000 passengers recorded last year.

Its area manager (Malaysia) Osman Habib said the target was driven by its new Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft to Malaysia and increasing demand from passengers.

“Last year, we were operating on three weekly flights from Addis Ababa to Kuala Lumpur and we are looking to increase the frequencies with the new Dreamliner,” he told reporters at the welcoming reception of the aircraft in Sepang on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) general manager of marketing division Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah said MAHB was committed towards building a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline, to support its growth.

“Malaysia Airports offers airlines among the world’s lowest aeronautical charges which enable them to offer the lowest cost base for operations.

“This has encouraged many of our airline partners to increase and improve their services and frequencies, giving rise to Malaysia’s continued overal growth,” he said.

In conjunction with the Dreamliner’s arrival, Ethiopian Airlines is offering travel deals between Kuala Lumpur and Africa, the US and Europe via its 787 Dream adventure treat.

Passengers from Kuala Lumpur are offered roundtrip travel opportunities to over 90 international destinations worldwide including Nigeria, South Africa, Paris, Madrid, Los Angeles and Sao Paolo.

For flights with long layovers, Ethiopian Airlines provides a free stopover to Addis Ababa which covers meals and transit visa.

For its exclusive 787 Dream Adventure promotion, Economy Class passengers would be able to enjoy a 46kg baggage allowance, inclusive of meals and a complete range of beverages.

The airline would also provide travel-break opportunities to passengers wishing to explore and stay longer in Addis Ababa, for an additional fee.

Kyrgyzstan And Azerbaijan In Top Rating

According to the recent report of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the touristic boom and the fastest growth of this industry within the next decade is expected in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, — informs the Daily Telegraph.

The World Travel and Tourism Council is an international non-governmental organization that consists of more than hundreds of representatives of the travel industry from different countries. The experts report that an annual growth of the tourist segment in relation to the GDP of Kyrgyzstan is forecasted at the level of 8,2%.

Every year Kyrgyzstan attracts thousands of tourists from all around the globe. 94% of the country is covered with mountains. It makes this land an ideal place for active holiday and rest in the nature. Due to difficult access to many mountainous regions of the republic, there are pristine picturesque landscapes that have been preserved and attract fans of horse riding. Thanks to horses and experienced guides, travelers can discover amazing blooming valleys and lakes hidden behind the mountain peaks. In total, there are more than 1923 lakes on the territory of the country. T

he most famous one is the Issyk Kul Lake, often called as the Pearl of the Tyan-Shan Mountains. Those who are willing to discover Kyrgyzstan have an excellent opportunity to dive into the real world of nomads that still keeps ancient traditions and unique culture for centuries.

Myanmar (7,7%) and India (7,5%) took the second and the third places.

The World Travel and Tourism Council report also included the list of the largest growth of the tourism segment in relation to the country GDP in 2015. The second in this category came Azerbaijan with the growth of 27,3%.

The land of fire attracts tourists with its colorful mixture of European and Asian civilizations, beauty of Caucasian mountains, grandeur of architectural monuments and rich history.

The first place in this ranking is taken by Uganda with the growth of 36,7%, and Qatar is in the third place with the rate of 23,7%.

RWANDA: Tourism Is Number One Foreign Exchange Earner

Rwanda’s tourism sector continues to grow positioning itself as the leading foreign earner for the country.
During the financial year 2013/14, the sector registered a three per cent increase in the number of visitors to Rwanda, growing from 1.14 million visitors to 1.2 million visitors. This accounted for an increase in revenue to $303 million in 2014 from $293.4 million in 2013.

The country recorded $317 million (about Rwf247.9 billion) receipts from tourism in 2015, making the sector the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner. It also exceeded last year’s earnings target by $5 million to generate $39 million in revenues and income, according to Rwanda Development Board statistics.

Rwanda will host key global conferences in Kigali this year, including the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), the World Economic Forum on Africa, as well as African Union Summit.

President and chief executive officer, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) David Scowsill, said he was optimistic that the sector will continue growing at a higher rate than world GDP, and creating more jobs.

“We are also committed to protecting the world’s natural resources. In an uncertain world driven by conflict, fear, climate change and resource scarcity, it is our sector to which governments can look for economic certainty,” he told the delegates while closing the WTTC Global Summit in Dallas, Texas in the US last week.

He said tourism holds the key to global economic sustainability, innovation, job-creation, and economic generation.

He challenged world leaders “to step up to harness the opportunities of travel and tourism and for the leaders of our sector to embrace that opportunity.”

“The key issue we have addressed is the implication for freedom to travel of the twin threats of terrorism and the movement of displaced peoples. Global problems require a global response. That is why we welcome the challenge laid down by the US government for the public and the private sectors to work together, to improve radically inter-agency cooperation and the sharing of information across the world,” Scowsill said.

Scowsill had at the start of the organisation’s annual global summit, urged world governments, especially in Europe and America, not to close their borders to migrants because of terrorism.

“Closing borders and jeopardising the freedom to travel is not the answer to the current security concerns. World leaders need to stand together and act now, with the support of the travel and tourism sector,” he told the assembled private and public sector delegates at the conference in Dallas, Texas in the US.

Scowsill argued that though the combination of global terrorism and an international refugee crisis was creating an unprecedented threat, closing our borders and jeopardising our freedom to travel was not the solution. “We have to prevent an overreaction from governments.”

The two-day WTTC Global Summit brought together travel and tourism leaders, who discussed the pressing issues affecting the sector today; notably safety and security, sustainability, and the influence of recent geopolitical shifts and technological developments, according to the WTTC statement.

WTTC’s annual Global Summit brings together over 800 delegates to discuss the opportunities, challenges and issues facing the industry, while its Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognise the industry’s power to be a positive force in sustainability.

He said the travel and tourism sector should show the leadership required to keep people travelling despite concerns over security and the movement of refugees.

“We are trying to break the boundaries, but others are doing the opposite, building border walls,” said the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) president and chief executive officer David Scowsill.

He challenged the global travel and tourism industry to double their efforts and “go further than we have ever gone before in championing and resolving the big issues of our age. Let’s claim the leadership position.”

Globally, the travel and tourism sector contributes $7.2 trillion annually, almost 10 per cent of the world’s GDP, and accounts for 284 million jobs, 9.5 per cent of total employment or one in eleven of all jobs on the planet, making it a powerful contributor to the global economy, Scowsill said in a statement from WTTC secretariat.

“We account for 6 per cent of all exports and 4 per cent of all investment,” he added.

In Africa as a whole, the sector is a highly attractive growth industry, and it is responsible for 8.1 per cent of GDP and it is forecast to rise at 4.9 per cent per annum until 2025, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Next year, the WTTC Global Summit will take place from April 26-27 in Bangkok.

CHINA: China Tourism Makes Record $152 Billion In 2015

China's tourism continued to boom as for the first time investment in the sector reached one trillion yuan ($152 billion) in 2015, registering 42% year-on-year growth.

The sharp rise comes in spite of a deceleration in investment growth in general, Li Jinzao, head of China National Tourism Administration said.

In the first 11 months of 2015, China's fixed-asset investment grew 10.2% year-on-year, a decline from an annual high of 13.9% for the first two months.

Chinese government tourism statistics say that Chinese outbound tourists had spent a record $164.8 billion overseas in 2014.

Keen to tap into this growth sector, companies that are not traditionally in tourism also began to look into opportunities.

The top three Internet giants -- Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent together channelled 16 billion yuan ($2.44 billion) into the industry in 2015, while property and entertainment giant Dalian Wanda Group allocated over 700-billion yuan (USD 106.6 billion) to business and cultural travel projects.

The National Tourism Administration estimates that direct investment into tourism will surpass three trillion yuan in the next three years.

While investment picked up, tourism consumption was also robust in 2015.

Earlier data showed that Chinese citizens made over four billion domestic trips and 120 million overseas, ranking first globally.

"Tourism has become a new engine for China's economic growth," Li said

The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that China's tourism could contribute 10.1% to its GDP, surpassing sectors such as banking, education, and automobiles.