Aimed at smoothing the way for visitors to tourism favorites in the Yangtze River Delta, the meeting brought together scores of officials from different provinces and municipalities.

Agreements reached at the two day meeting will improve links, cut costs and provide comprehensive tourist information for visitors from home and abroad.

About 250 senior officials from 15 cities in East China's Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, together with the city of Shanghai signed their first "Hangzhou Declaration of Co-operation," for advancing tourism across the area.

"The holding of the meeting has a significant meaning, as it took place right after China had successfully fought against SARS. Although SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) did do serious damage to the whole country's tourism industry, we believe that the abundant tourism resources in China will always continue to be the focus of attraction in the world," said Zhang Jianzhong, director of the policy office of the State Tourism Bureau.

"The area of the Yangtze River Delta is not only one of the most prosperous regions in China, with its rapid economic development, it is also regarded as the most dynamic tourism area. Its development of tourism is crucial to the rejuvenation of the whole nation's tourism," said Zhang.

Statistics show that in 2002, the area received over 6 million overseas tourists, realizing a total foreign exchange of US$4 billion, accounting for 20 percent of the country's total. It also welcomed more than 240 million domestic visitors last year.

The area includes Suzhou's graceful ancient gardens, Zhejiang's natural beauty of waters and mountains, and the stunning modernity of Shanghai.

"The already advanced services and convenient transportation systems, have combined to provide the area with the most favorable conditions of co-operation," said Wang Guoping, Party secretary of the Hangzhou municipal government.

During the meeting, all the officials expressed their strong desire to clear away any administrative obstacles that stand between the provinces and Shanghai Municipality, such as different regulations, divided information provision, plans and markets that may be at variance.

"On the one hand, we need each local government to enhance their attention to the development of their own tourism industry. Yet, on the other hand, we have to be very careful not to become locally protective, which is no good at all," said Sheng Chengming, deputy director of the Hangzhou Tourism Committee.

Under the newly signed declaration, the area will encourage and support tourism agencies in making purchases, establishing links between cities and provinces.

(China Daily July 7, 2003)