Roundup

TOURISM BLUEPRINT

The State Council announced a development plan for the tourism sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) in a circular on Thursday. By 2025, China will have a stronger modern system for the tourism sector integrating cultural development and boasting an improved barrier-free environment and services, according to the circular. By 2035, the country aims to become a world tourism powerhouse, with a wider variety of tourist hot spots, including national cultural parks, world-class tourist attractions and resorts, and State-level cities and blocks serving tourism and leisure, it added.

RISE IN TRIPS

The number of air passenger trips in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region is expected to exceed 550,000 during the country's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, industry data showed. Airlines will provide a capacity of about 600,000 seats at the airport in Lhasa, the regional capital, expecting to operate 5,751 flights and handle 551,000 passengers and 3,995 tonnes of freight and mail, according to the regional branch of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

TRAVEL RUSH

China has a slew of policies on railway services, power supply and civil aviation to ensure safe and orderly travel during the Spring Festival holiday season, which kicked off on Monday. During the holiday, many people will travel to reunite with their families for Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb 1 this year. During the first three days of the 40-day travel season, the country is expected to see a total of more than 15 million passenger trips, including an estimated 5.24 million trips made on Monday, according to China State Railway Group.

Xinhua