The global COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit the healthy and sustainable development of world tourism. How to support the recovery of tourism market after the pandemic is under control has become the focus of the industry. As an international tourism city, Beijing has done a lot in dynamically updating the management regulations on the tourism industry, orderly promoting the resumption of production of tourism enterprises, encouraging cultural tourism consumption, and helping and supporting tourism enterprises.
Thanks to the dynamic management and flexible implementation of policies, during the May Day Holiday (May 1-5), the number of tourists to Beijing reached 4.633 million in total, returning to 55% of that of the corresponding period last year; tourism revenue totalled RMB 4.18 billion, returning to 36% of that of the corresponding period last year.
More specifically, first, in terms of dynamically updating the management regulations on the tourism industry, Beijing issued the Implementation Plan for the Orderly Restoration and Opening of Graded Scenic Spots on March 31, in order to orderly reopen tourist spots and strengthen the prevention and control of the pandemic; according to the result of pandemic control, the Work Plan on Guiding Citizens to Travel in Beijing Safely and Orderly on the May Day Holiday was issued at the end of April.
By adhering to the policy of “safe, orderly, steady and limited” as stipulated in the plan, limited reception, reservation for admission and off-peak travel, as well as real-time detection using scientific and technological means were realized.
Second, in terms of orderly promoting the resumption of production of tourism enterprises, Beijing launched policies of resuming production in pilot tourism enterprises in early April, promoting orderly resumption of operation in the residential accommodation industry first through enterprise application, graded administrative examination and approval and filing. According to the classification policy in the “Work Plan”, priority will be given to the reopening of natural landscapes and other outdoor scenic spots, and for other business places, the policy will be flexibly implemented according to specific conditions.
Third, in encouraging and supporting cultural tourism consumption, Beijing formulated the Measures for Gradually Revitalizing the City and Promoting Cultural Tourism Consumption in April, proposing 16 measures to activate cultural tourism consumption. By promoting the innovation of online and offline travel products, promoting various key projects and encouraging online payment, and formulating policies and measures on tourism service guarantee and design of excellent tourism routes, the restoration of tourism consumption confidence was actively planned and promoted.
Fourth, in helping and supporting tourism enterprises: guide the resumption of enterprises through “one-on-one” assistance according to demands of key tourism enterprises and dynamically updating of the “Prevention and Control Guidelines”. Through the above efforts to support the recovery of tourism after the pandemic, Beijing has achieved gratifying results and sustainable and sound development in balancing the demand of tourists and the need to prevent and control the pandemic, restoring the supply of products in the tourism market, stabilizing the health of the tourism supply chain and restoring tourists’ confidence in tourism consumption.
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