The overall goal for the tourism industry in 2014 has already been determined at the 2014 Shanxi provincial tourism conference, which took placed on Feb 22. Tourist numbers are expected to reach 280 million and the total income from the tourism industry is expected to hit 272 billion yuan, increasing by 14 percent and 18 percent respectively.

Feng Jianping, bureau head of the Shanxi provincial tourism bureau, said during the conference that Shanxi's tourism industry experienced serious conditions in 2013; but with the application of joint efforts from different groups in the province, it still kept stable and developed quickly. Shanxi received 248 million tourists in total in 2013, a year-on-year increase of 26.47 percent, and the tourism income of the province in 2013 reached 230 billion yuan, increasing by 27.16 percent.

According to the Shanxi provincial tourism bureau, Shanxi will continue to enhance its publicity in 2014, and promote its industries together with an upgrade of its tourism.

Feng said that it's hard to change the ancient resources of Shanxi's civilization with its long history into products suitable for tourism, and that's why the planning and design should be carried out at a senior level.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw