ABSTRACT
The People’s Republic of China has long been regarded as an exotic tourist destination, especially following the lifting of the “Bamboo Curtain” when, after three decades of isolation from the rest of the world, foreign pleasure tourists were allowed to visit the country. The introduction of the open door policy in 1978 marked the beginning of modern tourism in China. Initially, many of the visits were made by overseas and compatriot Chinese returning to visit family, relatives, and friends. At the time, facilities to accommodate visitors were basic and limited. However, as more facilities were provided to accommodate the needs of foreign tourists and, as further areas were opened up for tourists to visit, tourism boomed. In 1979, one year after the open door policy was introduced, there were 362,000 foreign tourist arrivals. Twenty years later, foreign tourist arrivals (excluding compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao) totaled 7.3 million, a twenty-fold increase, and tourism income amounted to US$14.1 billion compared to US$44.3 million in 1979 (CNTA 2000). Based on World Tourism Organization (WTO) statistics, China now ranks fifth and seventh in the world, in terms of tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings, respectively (WTO 2000).
