Sichuan Reopens Second Batch Of Tourism Markets

The Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau has announced that from July 2008, the second batch of its tourism markets will be reopened.

On June 15 Sichuan reopened 13 tourism markets — Zigong, Panzhihua, Luzhou, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Nanchong, Yibin, Guangan, Dazhou, Meishan, Ziyang, and Liangshan.

This time, the second batch of tourism markets are reopening: the whole tourism market in Bazhong; some of tourism markets in Mianyang, including attractions in Zitong County and Santai County as well as rural tourism spots; some in Deyang except for Shifang and Mianzhu; some in Guangyuan except for Qingchuan County, the Jianmenguan Scenic Area in Jiange County, the Zhaohua Ancient City in Yuanba District, the Mingyuexia Plank Road in Chaotian District, and the Sichuan Tiantai National Forest Park.

According to local media, restoration work in Sichuan tourism sector has been divided into three phases. In the first phase, from June 19 through the end of this year, those tourism markets in the non-disaster areas will be restarted by trying to attract local tourists to travel to those attractions. The second phase is mainly focusing on rural tourism business around cities to restore the whole tourism market within the province by 2009. Thirdly, Sichuan will gradually revive its whole tourism market by or after 2010, making tourism the leading industry in the disaster areas.