Tourism is becoming a competitive industry for North China’s Shanxi province, said Li Shihong, deputy head of the National Tourism Administration, at the Internet Plus Tourism Conference in Taiyuan on Oct 16.

Li added that tourism industry is a significant factor to cope with economic downturn? in Shanxi. He urged the province to improve public services, upgrade work mechanism and regional cooperation, and put tourism at the forefront of Shanxi’s economic transformation.

The Internet Plus Tourism conference, which focused on Shanxi’s tourism development, was organized by the government and tourism bureaus of the province and its capital, Taiyuan.

Shanxi Tourism Bureau reached strategic cooperation agreements with 18 partners, including 10 financial organizations such as the Shanxi branch of Bank of China, Chinese three main telecommunication operators, and some leading online travel agencies.

Eight tourism projects were signed at the conference with total investments of 5.64 billion yuan ($888.55 million), including a recreational vehicle camp and a sports park.

The Internet Plus Tourism Conference on Shanxi’s tourism opens on Oct 16 in Taiyuan, Shanxi province. [Photo/sx.sxgov.cn]

Representatives of tourism related?industries are present?at the Internet Plus Tourism Conference held in Taiyuan on Oct 16. [Photo/sx.sxgov.cn]?