Yangtze area to add more attractions to lure travelers

With the waves of a downturn lapping the economy, China is trying to shore up growth by developing tourism along its longest river, the Yangtze. In 2015, the economy experienced its slowest annual expansion in a quarter of a century, according to official figures released on Dec 19. Inbound tourism, on the other hand, grew for the first time in three years, with foreign tourist arrivals rising 4 percent year-on-year to 133 million, generating about $117.6 billion in revenue.

The figures have fanned hopes for tourism along the "Yangtze River Economic Belt," an area the central government has earmarked as a new economic powerhouse. The 11 provinces and municipalities on the belt - including Shanghai, Hubei, Chongqing and Sichuan - are steadily adding attractions and transport infrastructure to boost their chances of attracting more visitors.

The potential gains are massive. Of the hundreds of thousands of people that visit the Yangtze on ships every year, only around 20 percent are from abroad.