Destinations known | Domestic tourism the focus of China’s 14th five-year plan, which foresees more sports, countryside trips, ‘red tourism’ and … better bathrooms
- The 14th Five-Year Tourism Development Plan envisions the industry to be bigger than ever, with different parts of China having different roles to play
- Rural tourism, including cultural and outdoor recreation, will be developed – cycling trails and parks will be promoted as mini-breaks grow in popularity

Tourism boards the world over consider themselves salespeople of “products”: the essence of a city or region turbocharged with retail experiences, theme parks, resorts and the like.
China’s 14th Five-Year Tourism Development Plan, issued by the State Council on January 20, fits the bill. Absent is the notion that tourism should entail dropping in on a place as unobtrusively as possible, to experience how the locals live perhaps, and in its stead is the idea that “new development concepts must be implemented” so that “mass tourism consumption needs will be better satisfied”.
To be fair, the report – at least the English-language digital version of it – does stress the need to protect the environment, conserve cultural history and improve the livelihoods of those whose backyards are being visited, but the idea that more is necessarily better pervades.
So what is envisaged for the industry in China? During the 2021 to 2025 period, the country will “fully enter the era of mass tourism”, and the domestic market – particularly rural tourism, including cultural and outdoor recreation – will develop significantly.

Also urged is the upgrading of car parks, roads, camping grounds, tourist service centres and toilets – there are several references to toilets in the report, and quite rightly, too! Many a holiday experience has been ruined by a filthy bathroom.