Sichuan Restarts Its Tourism Markets

Sichuan's tourism authorities have announced that 13 tourism markets are restarting.

These are Zigong, Panzhihua, Luzhou, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Nanchong, Yibin, Guangan, Dazhou, Meishan, Ziyang, and Liangshan. Meanwhile, some of tourism markets in Chengdu except for Dujiangyan, Pengzhou, Chongzhou, and Xiling Snow Mountain in Dayi, and those in Bazhong except for the Guangwushan Scenic Spot as well as Bifeng Valley in Yaan will also restart.

Sichuan's provincial tourism departments said that they would cooperate with management bureaus; hotels and airlines related to attractions within Sichuan to jointly launch tour itineraries with discounts to revive the post-quake tourism market. The restoration work will be divided into three phases. In the first phase, those tourism markets in the non-disaster areas will be restarted within this year and will try to attract local tourists to travel to those attractions. The second phase is to restore the whole tourism market within the province by 2009. Thirdly, Sichuan will gradually launch new resources and itineraries by or after 2010.

In addition, the Sichuan provincial government has not announced a lifting on the limit of traveling to the Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong attractions.