Beijing, Oct 20: China will surpass France to become the world's leading tourist destination and will be the fourth tourist-generating country by the year 2020, the World Tourism Organisation said here today. "China will achieve a historic transformation, becoming not only a huge Asian tourist nation but a giant among the world's tourism leaders in the next two decades," WTO secretary general, Francesco Frangialli said here.
Speaking at the 15th session of the general assembly of the Geneva-based WTO, which opened here yesterday, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said the tourism industry is new but truly dynamic part of the economy of china, and it will become a "pillar" industry by 2020.
He said that despite the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in spring, China had adopted prompt and effective measures to help the severely affected industry to recover and expand rapidly.
The session is being attended by tourism ministers from more than 100 countries and nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world. India is being represented by tourism and culture minister Jagmohan. Bureau Report