INFRASTRUCTURE improvements and collaboration between governments and the private sector are key to the successful development of the Maritime Silk Road, one of two ambitious multi-national Silk Road projects envisioned by Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Over 40 tourism officials participated in the third edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macau last week, themed Maritime Silk Road – From Macau We Begin.
Unveiled at the forum was a report by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Global Tourism Economy Research Centre on Asian tourism trends.
Xu Jing, regional director for Asia and Pacific, UNWTO, said China is the largest generator of trips in the region and dominates intra-regional travel, especially to countries along the Maritime Silk Road, such as Thailand, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Greece, UAE and France.
“(However), the report notes that tourism along the contemporary Silk Road is becoming a two-way flow. Conventional destinations are now becoming new source markets, such as the Middle East sub-region for China, and the Middle East for Malaysia,” he said.
But in order to realise the potential of the Maritime Silk Road, there needs to be more air links to secondary and tertiary hubs with a special emphasis on LCCs, Xu said.
Public and private sector collaboration was also singled out as an important factor. Examples raised during the forum include Malaysia’s plans to develop cruise tourism and Croatia’s shift away from sun-and-sand offerings to a cultural heritage focus.
The Maritime Silk Road was envisioned by China’s Xi in October 2013, alongside a second new and land-based Silk Road.
