Outline set for Zhuhai-SARs tourism integration

A strategy of all-for-one development, globalization, industry integration, and integral creation of an international coastal tourist destination with tourism revenue targeting 110 billion yuan ($16.6 billion) by 2030 was charted for Zhuhai and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions on Oct 25.

Part of the strategy, the Zhuhai Tourism Development Overall Plan Revision (2016-30) was approved at an executive meeting of the municipal government chaired by Mayor Yao Yisheng.

Zhuhai government's desire for tourism integrated with the other two cities led to a tri-party Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism being signed in July of last year. Now, an improved schematic is based on "one core, two centers, three belts, four areas, and multiple agglomerations."

That layout will add to Zhuhai's appeal with world-level travel experiences at marine islands, theme parks, festivals, and contest events as well as MICE services. The city wants to enhance local characteristics of urban leisure, sports, cultural, countryside, and hot springs tourism. 

Zhuhai seaside [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

The "4+5+N" plan will be the guiding principle, which means a travel system comprising nine categories will be enriched with specialized additions in the future, according to an official.

Meanwhile, Zhuhai is encouraged to integrate tourism with primary, secondary, and tertiary industries before the agreement is implemented.

Underlining the plan is tourism integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through four practical steps. The first is to concentrate on joint development of tourism resources, products, and markets. Second comes accelerated efforts on building a system of tourism transportation, facilities, and information. Third is collaborative communication about tourism policy, institutions, and management. Finally, there must be an increased flow and integration of talent, technology, and capital.

The measures will be adopted in stages defined by tourist numbers: 50 million by 2020, 75 million as of 2025, and 90 million up to 2030. Tourism revenue is to reach 45 billion yuan ($6.8 billion) and 80 billion yuan ($12.1 billion) respectively during the first two periods.

Tourism has been developed in Zhuhai over three decades, especially in the past five years. Official statistics show that the number of tourists rose to more than 39 million last year, an increase of nearly 50 percent compared with 2011. It's noteworthy that comparatively, the average annual growth rate in domestic tourist numbers is just over 10 percent.

The sector's role as a pillar in the city's economic development has become more and more prominent, according to an analyst.

In August 2016, Zhuhai was the only Guangdong Province city to be named a Demonstration City of Tourism & Leisure on a 10-entry list released by the National Tourism Administration.