A bullet train is seen at the Changsha Station of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Intercity Railway in Hunan Province. The 95.5-kilometer-long intercity railway was put into service yesterday, with a speed up to 160km per hour in initial operations. China plans to raise tourism revenue to 7 trillion yuan (US$1 trillion) by 2020. — Xinhua

China plans to raise tourism revenue to 7 trillion yuan (US$1 trillion) by 2020.

A State Council five-year (2016-2020) tourism plan says China will strive to develop tourism into a major driver for economic transformation and upgrading.

The sector made more than 4 trillion yuan last year.

By 2020, investment in tourism is expected to grow to 2 trillion yuan, and the sector will contribute more than 12 percent of GDP.

Travel agencies will be encouraged to sell more diverse products, such as countryside trips and tours of old revolutionary bases.

The quality of tourist destinations must be raised, partly through five tourist city clusters and 10 national tour belts. Public services for tourists will be improved, including transport. Green tourism will also be promoted.

Inbound tourism will get stronger policy support and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan will be strengthened. The government also expects moderate growth in outbound travel.

The services sector contributed the most to economic growth in the first three quarters.