Ministry of Culture and Tourism Releases Preliminary List of 40 National Tourism Performance Excellence Projects
Recently, the Department of Industrial Development under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the "Notice on the Publicity of the Preliminary List of National Tourism Performance Excellence Projects." Based on the projects recommended by provincial-level cultural and tourism administrative departments and subject to expert evaluations and other procedures, the Department of Industrial Development has identified 40 preliminary projects to be included in the National Tourism Performance Excellence Catalog. The publicity period is five working days. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
Second Quarter Operating Revenue of 6,663 National Star-Rated Hotels Exceeds 41 Billion Yuan
On August 25th, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the second-quarter statistical survey report for 2023 on national star-rated hotels. The operating revenue of 6,663 national star-rated hotels reached 41.015 billion yuan in the second quarter. Among them, the proportion of catering revenue was 38.85%, while room revenue accounted for 46.60%. The average room rate was 373.79 yuan per night, with an average occupancy rate of 52.41%. The average revenue per available room was 195.90 yuan per night.
Statistics show that in the second quarter of 2023, the top 10 regions in terms of average occupancy rate for star-rated hotels were Hunan, Shanghai, Beijing, Fujian, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Zhejiang, Tibet, Chongqing, Hainan, and Jiangsu. Among them, Hunan's average occupancy rate in the second quarter was 71.90%, Shanghai's was 65.82%, and Beijing's was 63.90%. (Shell Finance)
Domestic Summer Tourism Expected to Reach 1.331 Billion Person-Times
According to information from the "Voice of Tourism" public account, the summer tourism market in 2023 is expected to surpass the same period in 2019 in terms of popularity. According to predictions by the China Tourism Academy, during the months of July and August when primary and secondary school students have their summer vacation, the number of domestic tourists is estimated to reach 1.331 billion person-times, accounting for 20.18% of the total domestic tourism trips for the year.
Nationwide Railway Summer Transport Continues to Operate at a High Level, with a total of 701 million passengers sent from July 1st to August 21st. Among them, 15.686 million passengers were sent on August 19th, once again breaking the record for the highest daily passenger volume during the summer transport period. The average daily number of passenger trains operated nationwide reached 10,444, an increase of 15.8% compared to the same period in 2019. (China Economic Net)
Domestic Flight Bookings for Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Surpass May Day, with Ticket Prices Increasing Over 30% MoM
As of August 22nd, domestic flight bookings for the 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day have increased by 18% compared to the bookings during the 2023 May Day period. The average price for domestic flights (economy class) is 1,210 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 43% compared to the National Day in 2022 and a 38% increase compared to the National Day in 2019. Additionally, there is a 31% increase in ticket prices compared to the summer period of 2023.
The top 10 domestic popular destinations for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day are: Haikou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Nanning, and Beijing. (Flight Butler)
Hilton Plans to Open Over 730 Hotels in China in the Next 10 Years, Primarily Targeting the Middle Class
On August 22nd, Hilton Worldwide Holdings announced its focus on the travel trend of China's middle-class population. Chen Hanquan, Vice President of Development for Hilton's Asia-Pacific region, stated that after opening 100 hotels in mainland China last year, the group plans to open over 730 hotels in the country over the next 10 years.
Chen Hanquan also emphasized that the new hotels will primarily target the middle-class demographic. This strategy is in response to the growing GDP and increasing middle-class population in China, which has led to a rising demand for travel for various purposes. (Financial News)
Xi'an Hilton Innova Hotel to Launch Soon
It has been revealed that China Merchants Innova Hotel Business is entering Xi'an for the first time and is set to launch the first project in collaboration with Accor Hotel Group: the Xi'an Hilton Innova Hotel. The hotel is located at the "Olympic Wing" of the China Merchants Silk Road Center in Xi'an. As a supporting hotel, the Xi'an Hilton Innova Hotel will further contribute to the improvement of the urban supporting functions in the vicinity of the Xi'an Olympic Center, enhancing the level and quality of the Olympic business district, and empowering the city's upgrading and high-quality development. (Sina Weibo)
Gree Group Establishes Cultural and Tourism Company, Operating Range Includes Tourism Business
Recently, Zhuhai Hechen Cultural and Tourism Co., Ltd. was established, with Min Ming as the legal representative and a registered capital of 1 million RMB. Its business scope includes bar services, accommodation services, tourism business, and tourism development project planning and consulting. Comprehensive equity information shows that the company is wholly owned by Zhuhai Gree Island Investment Co., Ltd., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhuhai Gree Group Co., Ltd. (Tianyancha)
Jay Chou Boosts Hohhot Tourism Revenue to 2.88 Billion Yuan
From August 17th to 20th, Jay Chou's concerts held in Hohhot were sold out for all four shows. The concerts not only "ignited" the Hohhot Sports Stadium but also fueled the entire local economy, permeating through the tourism sites, hotels, restaurants, and other aspects of cultural and tourism consumption. The significant influx of people brought by the performing arts event also marked a new peak in cultural and tourism consumption in Hohhot. Statistics show that the concerts attracted a total of 184,000 audiences, with more than 80% of them being visitors from outside the city. Thanks to the concert effect, from August 16th to 20th, Hohhot received 1.2617 million tourists and achieved a tourism revenue of 2.88 billion yuan, which is 3.3 times that of the Dragon Boat Festival period. (Qingcheng Rong Media)
WTTC: China's Tourism Output to Surpass the United States in 10 Years
According to the Global Travel and Tourism Council's global tourism report, China's tourism output is projected to reach $4 trillion USD by 2033, surpassing the United States' $2 trillion USD and securing the global top spot.
The report reveals that prior to the pandemic, Chinese outbound tourists accounted for 14.3% of global outbound tourism consumption. By 2033, this share is expected to increase to 22.3%. (Global Times)
Shandong Implements Measures to Promote High-Quality Development of Tourism Accommodation Sector, Continuously Enriching Supply of Accommodation Products
The Shandong Provincial Government recently issued the "Several Measures to Promote the High-Quality Development of the Provincial Tourism Accommodation Industry," comprehensively enhancing the standards and service quality of the tourism accommodation industry. The document sets the goal of having over 100 high-quality boutique hotels and more than 600 star-rated hotels, including over 50 five-star hotels, by the end of 2025 in Shandong Province. These developments aim to meet the new demands of diversified, distinctive, and personalized tourism accommodation consumption, thereby elevating Shandong's reputation for "hospitable service" on the national stage. (JinTai Information)
Heilongjiang's Shuangyashan Cultural and Tourism Summit Signs 23 Projects Worth 4 Billion Yuan
The successful second Shuangyashan Cultural and Tourism Industry and Four Major Economic Development Summit in Heilongjiang Province has activated the cultural tourism industry and the "one pool of spring water" of the four major economies. During the promotional event held on August 20th, a total of 23 projects were signed with a contract value of 4 billion yuan, injecting new vitality into the ongoing high-quality development of the city. (China Economic News Network)
South Korea Establishes Visa Application Center in Beijing
To provide better facilities and high-quality services to applicants for South Korean visas, a "Republic of Korea Visa Application Center" was established in Beijing. The grand opening ceremony was held at the Joy City Plaza on August 24th. Following the establishment of centers in Guangzhou, Qingdao, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wuhan, this marks the sixth Republic of Korea Visa Application Center in Beijing. As exchanges between China and South Korea continue to flourish, the number of visa applicants has increased steadily. While the center handles the acceptance and delivery of visa application documents, the review and approval of visa issuance remains the responsibility of the Republic of Korea Embassy in China. (Global Times)
