Wuxi looks to all-for-one tourism to increase incomes

Officials from Wuxi municipal government speak at a conference on developing a demonstration area for "all-for-one tourism" in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Oct 11. [Photo/news.thmz.com]

Wuxi government hosted a conference on the construction of a demonstration area for all-for-one tourism on Oct 11.

The city in Jiangsu province has been one of the most successful tourist destinations in China over the last five years.

An estimated 86 million people visited Wuxi in 2016, a 48 percent increase from 2011, according to government statistics.

The city's tourism revenue has also risen more than 10 percent year-on-year since 2011, a rate few other Chinese cities have been able to match.

The government hopes to sustain this trend by focusing on developing all-for-one tourism destinations.

This new strategy will place less importance on generating revenue from ticket sales to attractions and instead look to new sources.

According to officials at the conference, Wuxi will now focus on improving transportation and digital infrastructure, and facilities inside existing scenic spots and roadside accommodation.

The city also plans to encourage the rural tourism trend which has already helped lift many of Wuxi's rural residents out of poverty.

More than 1.8 million tourists visited Yangshan Peach Town in Huishan district in 2016, helping to raise the average income of local residents to over 30,000 yuan ($4,500) per year. 

Wuxi government also plans to drive local entrepreneurship and innovation by harnessing the city's growing tourism industry.

Officials said that the government would improve policy incentives, build public service platforms, strengthen vocational education and training and provide a better environment for more people to develop new tourist products and services in Wuxi.

Another policy focus, known as "Tourism Plus" denotes China's drive to stimulate innovation in traditional tourism industries through the integration of cutting-edge digital technology.

The government will also prioritize the development of industrial tourism, cultural tourism, health tourism, and tourism targeted at senior citizens.