Xinhua Agency, Madrid, October 3 Interview with China to innovate and drive the development of tourism industry ¨C Visit by the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations, Pololi Kashvili

Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Yan

Zulab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, said in a written interview with a reporter from Xinhua Agency that China, as an "important and active" member of the organization, is using innovation to drive tourism development. With rich and diverse cultures, world-class cities and good tourism infrastructure, China is an important tourist destination.

This is a photo of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pollikashvili, taken in Barcelona, Spain (June 11, 2024).

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Pololikashvili said that for 50 years, the organization has been committed to ensuring sustainable growth in the tourism industry.

Polo Likashvili said that science and technology are constantly reshaping all walks of life, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization is committed to leading the industry transformation in the rapid change. He believes that virtual reality technology has brought exciting changes to the tourism industry, but tourism in reality and its pulling effect on employment and economy are irreplaceable. "People travel more for unique, authentic experiences and enhancing people-to-people connections, and I believe that will never change."

Taking the UN World Tourism Organization¡¯s ¡°Best Rural Tourism¡± rating as an example, Pololikashvili pointed out that tourism is not only a leisure activity but also an indispensable pillar of development and can also play an active role in promoting rural development and protecting cultural heritage. This selection campaign, launched in 2021, aims to promote the role of tourism in protecting rural areas and their landscape, ecological and cultural diversity.

In November 2024, seven China villages, including Azhike in Yunnan, Shibadong in Hunan, and Yandunjiao in Shandong, were selected as the "Best Tourist Villages" list. So far, the total number of "Best Tourist Villages" in China has reached 15, ranking first in the world.

Pololi Kashvili said that China is an important tourist export country and tourist destination and has made an important contribution to the global tourism industry in promoting travel abroad and domestic travel.

China's National Immigration Administration and the Ministry of Transport predict that this year's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival will be celebrated together, and the average daily number of inbound and outbound passengers during the national port holidays will exceed 2 million, and the cross-regional turnover of people in the whole society will reach 2.36 billion. Polo Likashvili believes that the boom of double-festival travel reflects that China has a large-scale and high-quality tourism infrastructure.

He praised China¡¯s contribution to global tourism in both overseas and domestic travel, and the arrival of Chinese tourists in many tourist destinations, especially in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, supported the livelihoods of many small and locals.¡±

The United Nations World Tourism Organization, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting and developing sustainable and universally accessible tourism. China officially became a member of the organization in 1983, and Chinese was officially listed as one of the official languages of the organization in 2021.