Authorities in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone have approved the establishment of a wholly overseas-funded travel agency, local news portal ptnet.cn reported on July 17.

The Pingtan Guanghua Travel Agency is now the first wholly overseas-funded travel agency in the Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ). It’s mainly engaged in domestic and inbound tourism.

“Guanghua will connect Pingtan’s tourism industry to the international market and boost cross-Straits communication and cooperation,” said an employee with the local economic development bureau.

The Fujian FTZ was inaugurated in late April and consists of three parts, in Pingtan, Fuzhou and Xiamen.

Fujian authorities also relaxed investment rules to speed up reforms amid economic hardships.

The approval authority for overseas-funded travel agencies was delegated from the provincial level to the municipal level since June 1.