More than 80 percent of Chinese tourists do not visit scenic spots when they go on vacation, according to the head of the China National Tourism Administration.

Li Jinzao, director of the administration, said the development of the nation's tourism industry has been led for four decades by the construction of scenic spots, hotels and restaurants.

However, in the past two years, tourists have grown dissatisfied with this combination, he told reporters today on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions.

"More tourists are now interested in visiting villages with well-protected natural landscapes, and they want to stay in local residents' cottages or apartments," he said. "So we need to build tourism destinations as a whole, not just focus on managing scenic spots. We need to reform tourism management."

Li added that the tourism industry could also contribute to poverty alleviation.

"Roughly speaking, the industry could contribute at least 17 percent to the poverty alleviation goal set for the next five years. And in some regions and provinces, the percentage could be even higher," he said.

"For an example, Guizhou province is underdeveloped, yet this helps it to preserve its natural beauty, which is attractive to tourists from home and abroad. So developing tourism based on protection could be the best way to lift Guizhou out of poverty."