Celestial! This is the name of this fabulous country, which is known for its centuries-old culture, incredible beauty of natural wealth, one of the preserved wonders of the world - the Great Wall of China. In addition, this country is known to everyone as the largest in the world in terms of population. Over 1 billion people! Naturally, tourism in China is a highly developed sector of the economy, and it has reached a special level of development over the past 10 years. By the number of tourists who visit China every year (which is about 60 million people), this Asian state is the third largest in the world. At the same time, not only international tourism in China is developed, but also domestic tourism. For a year, residents of the country, not crossing the borders of their state, make more than one and a half billion tourist trips.
general description
Modern China is undoubtedly an economically developed country. Here, such sectors of the economy as trade, construction, services, medicine, culture, various lines of business, including the hotel industry, are effectively and progressively developing, which contributes to the development of tourism in China. Every year the interest of Russian travelers in this unique country is growing. Moreover, it attracts both as a cultural center, and as a beach destination, and as a country where you can combine leisure with shopping or with treatment. In a word, tourism between Russia and China is gaining momentum every year, which, of course, is beneficial to both the first and second sides. The Celestial Empire is attracted to many by the abundance of bright national holidays, which are distinguished by their colorful and original traditions, in addition, here you can completely plunge into the world of history and be at the origins of human civilization.
Riddles of China
Cooperation between Russia and China in tourism is largely due to the fact that our compatriots are often attracted by areas that are distinguished by their mystery. Tourist sites of the Middle Kingdom belong to this category. Anyway, for Russians, China is a very mysterious country. First of all, we are surprised by the degree of their industriousness, the breadth of their thoughts, and the abundance of everything, from shopping centers to various entertainment facilities and incredibly beautiful parks and squares. Once having arrived here, you become addicted and wish to return again and again. This, apparently, is the secret to the success of China's tourism.
The origin of the tourism industry
Somewhere in the middle of the 20th century, an international travel agency was founded in the country - first in the capital, and then in 14 major cities. This was the impetus for the development of tourism in the People's Republic of China. After about 15 years, a tourism department was also established in Beijing, and it was of a state nature. However, until 1978, when reforms began to take place in the PRC and an openness policy began to operate, this industry did not develop much. Only after that, China's tourism entered the stage of active and continuous progress. And by 1999, the number of arrivals in the Celestial Empire reached 63.4 million people. And today, this country is the leading tourist center of Southeast Asia, and on a global scale it is in 6th place.
sights
The rich historical past left China a huge number of ancient monuments, and among them in the first place, naturally, the Great Wall of China. Zijincheng - “Forbidden City“ is very popular. Fans of natural beauty will enjoy a walk through the famous Yiheyuan and Beihai parks. Fans of mountain landscapes visit the Xiangshan Mountains and climb to the Temple of Heaven. The country has many architectural sights that amaze with the boldness of the fantasies of ancient architects. For lovers of antiquity and especially curious, there is always some interesting museum where you can get acquainted with the history of Chinese culture. Tourism, recreation at resorts, excursion program are promising sectors of the country's economy. That is why every year in China there are more and more different objects involved in the tourism business. Nevertheless, the most important objects of state importance are the Temple of Heaven, the park of nationalities, the imperial tomb, the Beijing Okenarium, the botanical garden and the zoo, etc.
A bit of history
China has had 6 ancient capitals throughout history: Xi'an, Nanjing, Luoyang, Keifeng, Beijing and Hangzhou. The richest from a historical point of view is the first of them, that is, Xi'an. It is not only the oldest in the Middle Kingdom, but also one of the four most ancient capitals in the world. The city has many attractions that are called the “eighth wonder of the world”, for example, the figures of warriors located in the tomb of Qin Shihuang. They are made of terracotta. Once upon a time, more than 6,000 such figures were discovered during excavations. And this find is considered the most grandiose in the 20th century. The remaining capitals of the ancient Chinese state also have many interesting sights and are of great interest to tourists. Being the cradle of the civilization of our planet, China is a mystery state. Its history began a long time ago, but the curtain of Athena began to be lifted relatively recently. Only after the end of the war with Britain, in 1840, the world again began to talk about China. It was then that Hong Kong came under the rule of the Kingdom of England. Then the Celestial Empire came under the influence of the socialist camp and became a closed country.
China Tourism Today
Currently, this country is improving the content and forms of tourism business, as well as the quality of the service provided to guests. There was a time when the majority of visitors to the Celestial Empire were ethnic Chinese from the capitalist islands - Taiwan and Hong Kong. This happened after the start of the “open door” policy. And the Chinese, who were on the other side of the Iron Curtain, on the islands that came under British control, wanted to visit their historic homeland.
It was for their needs that new hotels were built. Many of them are undergoing reconstruction today to meet modern requirements. Today, China as a tourist destination has become popular with citizens of Great Britain, the USA, Japan, etc. It has also become an integral part of Russian tourism. China attracts our citizens primarily as a country where you can make grandiose shopping, and all without exception. However, there are many such tourists who go to the Celestial Empire precisely with the aim of appreciating all the historical, natural and other sights of this eastern country. By the way, every year holidays at the sea resorts of China are gaining more and more speed. Naturally, this contributes to the expansion of tourism infrastructure and improving the quality of services provided.
The reform
A variety of changes that occurred in China in the early 80's, influenced the growth of the country's tourism market. Nevertheless, it was the political evolution in China that had a direct impact on the development of this most important sector of the national economy. Since then, the number of tourist areas has been increasing every year. By 1986, 274 Chinese cities were included in tourist routes.
Popular Travel Destinations
The most popular are the north-eastern and central regions of China. It is here that its main attractions are concentrated. However, the southern part of the country also has its fans. The nature is especially beautiful here, and beach tourism will never go out of style. Well, islands off the coast will always attract citizens of other countries.
The islands
A. Hong Kong is attractive to tourists primarily in terms of trade. In addition, grandiose shopping can be combined with a rich variety of entertainment, especially the so-called nightly ones. Many festivals, fairs, conferences, equestrian competitions, etc. are held here. Another popular Chinese territory is Macau, which for the time being was a Portuguese colony and only by the beginning of the 21st century passed to the PRC. Macau and the islands of Taipa and Coloane adjoin Macau. It is more convenient to get here from Hong Kong. By the way, this place is in great demand among locals and is a center for the development of domestic tourism. Today, this area is undergoing real prosperity, as the number of holidays and weekends has increased in the country.
Medical tourism in China
Who does not know about the famous healers of the Middle Kingdom? For many European scientists, the phenomenon of Chinese medicine is still unsolved. Naturally, in this regard, foreigners consider China as an excellent destination for medical tourism. In fact, there are many clinics, sanatoriums, as well as centers of alternative medicine, which provide visitors with a huge range of rehabilitation, health, preventive and anti-aging procedures at relatively low prices. By the way, many seriously ill patients trust in Chinese doctors, for whom China is their last hope for recovery.
The medical centers of China are not only distinguished by the excellent composition of the medical staff, but also by the excellent ultramodern equipment, thanks to which the impossible becomes possible. In this regard, the Celestial Empire is also interesting for Russian tourists, especially when you consider that for their needs in local medical clinics there are always Russian-speaking personnel or translators, which is very important when it comes to health.