Regulations of Suzhou Municipality on Tourism

Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 In order to protect and rationally develop and utilize tourism resources, standardize the order of the tourism market, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of tourists, tour operators and tourism professionals, and promote the development of tourism, these Regulations are formulated in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and combined with the actual situation of this Municipality. Article 2 These Regulations shall apply to tourism planning and resource utilization, tourism promotion and development, tourism management and rights protection, tourism safety and tourism supervision and management within the administrative area of this Municipality. Article 3 People's governments at all levels should strengthen their leadership over tourism, incorporate tourism development into national economic and social development plans, increase investment and support for tourism, establish a tourism coordination mechanism, study and solve major problems in tourism development, and promote the coordinated development of tourism and related industries. Fourth city and county-level city and district tourism administrative departments are responsible for the guidance, management and supervision of tourism within their respective administrative areas.

The relevant administrative departments of transportation, price, industry and commerce, public security, urban management, quality supervision, health, gardens, religion, culture and safety supervision shall, according to their respective functions and duties, guarantee and promote the development of tourism. Article 5 Tourism industry associations shall strengthen industry self-discipline, standardize industry behaviors, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the industry, and provide services such as market expansion, tourism promotion, market information release, tourism product promotion, industry training and exchange according to the needs of their members. Article 6 People's governments at all levels shall commend and reward units and individuals that have made remarkable achievements in promoting the development of tourism. Chapter II Tourism Planning and Resource Utilization Article 7 The development of tourism resources shall adhere to the principles of unified planning, rational development, strict protection and sustainable development. Eighth city, county-level city, district tourism administrative departments shall, according to the overall urban planning and local tourism resources, in conjunction with the relevant departments to prepare tourism development plans, and solicit the opinions of the tourism administrative departments at higher levels, and report to the people's government at the same level for approval and implementation. Ninth tourism administrative departments shall, in accordance with the tourism development plan, organize or guide the preparation of special plans for tourist areas (spots) in conjunction with relevant departments. Tenth city development and construction, should take into account the protection of tourism resources, functional development and supporting service facilities. Eleventh all kinds of tourism construction projects should conform to the tourism development plan, and their scale and style should be coordinated with the tourism environment.

In the development, new construction, expansion and reconstruction of large-scale tourism construction projects such as star-rated tourist hotels and tourist resorts in tourist areas (spots), the relevant administrative departments shall solicit the opinions of the tourism administrative departments in writing before examination and approval.

For facilities and buildings that do not conform to the tourism development planning and special planning and are not in harmony with the tourism environment, tourism and other administrative departments may request the local people's government to deal with them according to law. Chapter III Tourism Promotion and Development Article 12 The municipal, county-level city and district people's governments shall, according to the needs of tourism development, set up special funds for tourism development, which shall be used for the publicity of urban tourism image, the construction of tourism public welfare facilities and major tourism promotion activities.

People's governments at all levels shall give financial support to the construction of supporting facilities related to tourism, such as road traffic, safety and security, environmental protection, water supply and power supply. Thirteenth tourism administrative departments should provide public welfare information consulting services for tourists and tour operators in tourist areas (spots) and tourist distribution centers.

Tourism, information, telecommunications, postal services, finance, industry and commerce, public security and other departments should provide corresponding protection and public services for tourism e-commerce, encourage and support enterprises to establish tourism e-commerce platforms, develop online information inquiry, reservation and payment services, and realize online tourism transactions.

In urban planning and construction, graphic symbols and language symbols of public information such as transportation, tourism and municipal services that meet the standards of international tourist cities should be used. Fourteenth tourism administrative departments shall, jointly with the quality and technical supervision and management departments, organize the implementation of national standards, industry standards and local standards for tourism.

Encourage tourism operators to formulate enterprise standards. Fifteenth tourism administrative departments shall, in conjunction with education and other administrative departments, strengthen the construction of tourism colleges and tourism disciplines, promote tourism research and teaching, vocational training and personnel exchanges, cultivate tourism professionals, and improve the quality of tourism operators and their employees. Sixteenth tourism administrative departments shall, jointly with relevant departments, make use of tourism resources such as gardens, ancient cities and water towns to guide and support the development of special tourism projects such as sightseeing, leisure and holiday, and special tourism.

Support the development of tourism commodities with local characteristics and cultural connotations, and cultivate R&D and characteristic tourism commodity production and marketing bases. Article 17 The traffic administrative department shall formulate traffic planning and traffic service standards, examine and approve traffic capacity, and arrange traffic routes and stations, which shall be coordinated with the development of tourism. Eighteenth price administrative departments to formulate or adjust the ticket prices of tourist areas (spots), should seek the opinions of tourism and other administrative departments. Nineteenth to encourage all kinds of organizations or individuals at home and abroad to use professional conferences, trade fairs, cultural performances, sports events, scientific and technological education exchanges and other activities to promote the development of tourism. Twentieth tourism resources and facilities can be sold with compensation according to law, and should follow the principles of openness, justice, fairness, honesty and trustworthiness, through auction, bidding and other means.

Tourism and other administrative departments should strengthen the supervision and inspection of tourism resources and facilities that have been transferred to the management right according to law.

Encourage domestic and foreign investors to invest in the construction of tourism facilities and the development of tourism resources by means of equity participation and mergers and acquisitions.