China aims to boost tourism with information technology

BEIJING - China plans to promote the use of information technology in tourism to boost the sector's growth by 2020, according to a government plan released Tuesday.

All tourist areas classified as 4A sites or above will offer free WiFi, audio guides, online reservations and other information services by 2020, according to the plan by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

The 4A rating is the second highest in a five-level assessment system.

The plan set a target for investment in online tourism businesses to account for 15 percent or more of total tourism investment.

By 2020, online travel spending should take up at least 20 percent of total tourist spending, according to the plan.

It also said video surveillance and environmental monitoring in tourist areas will increase to ensure safety.

Tourism plays a key part in China as the country moves to build an economy driven by the service sector and consumer spending rather than trade and investment.

China aims to increase annual investment in the tourism sector to 2 trillion yuan ($290 billion) by 2020, up from 1.3 trillion yuan in 2016.