From 1949 to 1974, China was closed to all but selected tourists, mainly of diplomatic stature. However, beginning in the late 1970s, when the leadership decided to push tourism vigorously as a means of generating additional revenue for the country, China quickly developed its own tourist industry, starting with top cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Major hotel construction programs greatly increased the number of Beijing hotels and guest houses, more historic and scenic spots were renovated and opened to tourists, and professional guides and other service personnel were trained in both Beijing and Shanghai.

The improvement of domestic and international airline traffic and other tourist transportation facilities also made travel easy more convenient globally. Approximately 250 cities and counties were opened to foreign visitors by the mid-1980s. Travelers needed only valid visas or residence permits to visit 100 locations; the remaining locales required travel permits from public security departments. In 1985 more than 1.4 million travelers visited China for both leisure and business, and nearly US$1.3 billion was earned for the hotels and tourism industry. Shanghai was one of the most visited cities in the world during that time, because of the booming of the finance industry. Shanghai hotels have registered a record number of reservations during that era.

The technological advancements of China’s transportation infrastructure provides wide-ranging travel for domestic and overseas tourists. Throughout China, mainly in larger cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, a great deal of hotels and restaurants have been constructed, renovated or expanded to satisfy all levels of requirement, and there are now more than 9,751 hotels with star ratings throughout the republic. Beijing hotels and Shanghai hotels have all been renovated to international standards and beyond. Moreover, all medium-sized cities and scenic spots are now equipped with hotels with complete facilities and services for both domestic and international tourists.

The nation currently has 1,364 international travel agencies, 249 of them are issued Interim Regulations on the Establishment of Foreign-funded or Wholly Foreign-owned Travel Agencies. On July 18, 2003, the CNTA approved the registration of JALPAK International Ltd. as the first wholly foreign-owned travel agency to enter China’s tourist market. The company has started operations in Beijing, mainly handling Japanese tourism in China. On December 1, 2003, TUI China Travel Company was launched in Beijing—the first overseas-controlled joint venture in major shareholders being offices throughout the country.

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