Red tourism programs get a new push

Self-drive group tour has become popular in China. [Photo/Agencies]

A large-scale self-drive group tour from China to Russia will be launched on June 29.

It will start from Hunan province's Shaoshan and proceed to Russia's Ulyanovsk.

The two places were hometowns of Mao Zedong and Vladimir Lenin, founding revolutionary figures of their countries.

The tour is part of a Red tourism exchange program between China and Russia.

The China National Tourism Administration and Russian tourism authority will sign a memorandum of understanding on Red tourism cooperation for the 2015-2017 period.

The move will help boost sustainable Red tourism development between the two countries, says Luo Dihui, deputy director of the Red tourism work coordination office.

It will be the first time China joins hands with a foreign country in Red tourism development, says an official with the CNTA.

Red tourism involves visiting locations with historical significance to the Chinese revolution.

Travel agencies on both sides will jointly develop Red tourism routes, and high-speed rail for Red tourism travel will be launched, says Luo.

"China's Red tourism has achieved significant achievements over the past decade," he says.