Provinces in China promotes "red tourism"

Exhibitors from different provinces taking part in the 11th China Domestic Travel Fair all promoted their newly developed "red tourism" products.

China began to promote "red tourism" early this year to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Long March and to arouse patriotism among young Chinese people.

During the current fair, different provinces joined hands in marketing of "red tourism" products. Fujian and Jiangxi provinces combined folk culture, ecological tourism and "red tourism" together. Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai also cooperated in promoting tourism packages commemorating the birth of Communist Party of China (CPC).

Some travel agencies have designed special "red tourism" routes. "We hoped to design a route that Mao Zedong used to take, including Changsha, Shanghai, Ruijin, Yan'an and Beijing and one that Deng Xiaoping used to take."

In the first three months in 2005, the number of tourists to Jinggang Mountain rose eight times compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. Jinggang Mountain is a famous area in Jiangxi province where CPC members gathered before 1949. Sichuan and Chengdu provinces announced their plan to increase transportation to "red tourism" scenic spots.

Shenzhou Travel Agency and Air China announced a plan to launch direct flights from Beijing to Jinggang Mountain. "The two weekly flights will allow tourists to reach the revolution base in just two and a quarter hours," said Wu Heng, a Guilin resident who paid a visit to local tourism fair.