China launches safe travel initiative

SHANGHAI — A safe travel initiative aimed at raising awareness of traveling safely and providing humanitarian aid during travels was launched on Sept 10 in Beijing.

The "Safe and Responsible Travel Initiative" was jointly announced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, China Tourism Academy, and Ctrip, China's leading online travel agency.

The initiative highlights sustainable travel, enhancing security support, developing travel industry protocols for emergency situations and minimizing risks for travelers.

The launch of this project has given UNDP new insights into areas such as disaster and risk management, said Agi Veres, country director of UNDP China.

Participants will also jointly establish a platform providing disaster and risk information to be piloted in countries along the Belt and Road which have become popular destinations for Chinese travelers, according to Sun Jie, CEO of Ctrip.

In the first half of 2018, 2.8 billion Chinese traveled domestically, up by 11.4 percent year-on-year, and 71.3 million traveled abroad, up by 15 percent year-on-year, according to the China Tourism Academy.