BEIJING: China has been focusing on the construction and upgrading of tourist highways in recent years, as the country experiences a surge in domestic travel and self-driving tours. The development of these highways has not only improved connectivity between scenic areas but has also boosted local economies and created new tourism opportunities.People's Daily Online reported that a prime illustration can be found in the Xin'an segment of the tourist route tracing the Yellow River through Luoyang city, Henan Province. This route seamlessly connects multiple scenic spots and has emerged as a prominent feature of the city's tourism sector. Likewise, the round-the-island tourist route in Hainan Province, inaugurated in December 2023, joins 12 cities and counties, effectively blending breathtaking coastal views with local tourism offerings.The opening of these scenic highways has led to the emergence of new tourism products and business models, showcasing the vitality of China's tourism industry. For instance, the Xin'an section of the tourist highway along the Yellow River has helped 55,000 people in the surrounding areas to better develop eco-tourism, with the establishment of B and B hotel clusters, campsites, and tourism aviation bases.The tourist highway along the Yellow River has also brought prosperity to people living in Shilou county, Shanxi Province. The county, known for its rolling mountains and distinctive cave dwellings, is rich in Yellow River culture, ancient bronze culture, and red culture. The Shilou section of the tourist highway has connected various cultural relics, ancient sites, and 18 scenic spots, attracting more tourists to the villages and enabling local specialties to reach broader markets.To further promote the development of tourist highways, China's Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have jointly issued a five-year action plan (2023-2027). The plan calls for enhancing the construction quality of tourist highways, upgrading services, improving the highway environment, encouraging innovative integration of tourism highways with other industries, and strengthening technical support.Provinces like Sichuan and Guizhou have also launched their own initiatives to develop tourist highways. Sichuan has recently launched a renovation programme to turn ordinary roads into tourist-oriented ones, while Guizhou has built several tourist highways over the past years to promote the integration of transport and tourism.As China continues to invest in the development of tourist highways, it is expected that more regions will benefit from the growth of the tourism industry, creating new opportunities for local communities and businesses.Source: Emirates News Agency
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