China Tourism Association

China Tourism Association (CTA) (http://www.chinata.com.cn/) is a comprehensive national travel industry association formed by tourism organizations and institutions on an equal and voluntary basis and having the status of an independent aggregate corporation. Ratified by the State Council, CTA is the first tourism organization of the entire trade officially established on January 30, 1986. It was re-registered on March 24, 1999 after examination and approval by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The association is under the leadership of China National Tourism Administration and under the operational guidance, supervision and administration of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Aims and Tasks

In accordance with the Constitution, state laws, regulations and relevant policies, China Tourism Association represents and defends the common interests of tourism industry as well as the lawful rights and interests of its member organizations, sponsor activities in service of its members, the trade and the government, playing the role of a bridge between its members and the government, and promotes the sustained, rapid and sound development of tourism in China. Its main tasks are as follows:

(1) To conduct surveys and studies on the strategy of tourism development, the tourism management system and the development of both domestic and international tourism markets in order to offer suggestions to the National Tourism Administrative Department;

(2) To relay the wishes and requests of CTA members to government departments in charge, publicize relevant policies, laws and regulations of the government to CTA members and help them in implementing them;

(3) To organize CTA members to formulate the necessary guild codes and rules and supervise their observance so as to maintain the order on the tourism market;

(4) To help government departments in charge build information networks on tourism, and improve quality control and, under entrustment, carry out consultancy about planning and professional training, organize technological exchanges, sponsor exhibitions, sample surveys and safety checks, and give operational guidance to specialized associations of tourism;

(5) To enhance external exchanges and cooperation;

(6) To produce publications on tourism, and spread tourism information and research results; and

(7) To undertake other work entrusted by the government departments in charge.

Organizational Structure

The highest organ of authority of China Tourism Association is its congress which is convened once every four years. The executive organ of the congress is the council. The council is elected by the congress for a term of four years and meets once a year. When the council is not in session, the executive council exercises its functions and powers. The executive council is elected by the council and meets twice a year .The present executive council is composed of a chairman, 10 vice-chairmen, 84 executive council members and a secretary-general. The executive council has a general office as its administrative organ which is entrusted with the responsibility of daily work.

China Tourism Association has, at present, 163 council members. They have been chosen by tourism departments in all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities with the power to draw their independent plans and major tourist cities, as well as by national specialized associations of tourism, large tourism enterprise groups, tourism sites (spots), tourism schools and colleges, tourism research institutes, tourism press and publishing houses as well as social bodies closely related to tourism.

China Tourism Association are composed of group members. All social organizations, enterprises and institutions of tourism industry as well as other tourism-related organizations can apply for CTA membership.

In light of its practical work, China Tourism Association has set up six branches or specialized committees to carry out activities in relevant fields. They are the Tourist Cities Association, the Tourist Sites Committee, the Tourism Education Committee, the Women's Travel Committee, the Association of Sports Tourism and the Tourism Culture Committee.

Under the guidance of CTA, four specialized associations, namely, China Association of Travel Services, China Tourist Hotels Association, China Tourism Automobile and Cruise Association and China Association of Tourism Journals are carrying on their work in a relatively independent way.

Institutions directly under China Tourism Association include China Travel and Tourism Press, China Tourism News, Fashion Magazine, Tourism Information Center and China Tourism Management Institute.

Major Activities

In accordance with the tasks as stipulated in its statute, China Tourism Association has, since its founding, actively conducted surveys and studies on tourism restructuring, intensified tourism management, and the improvement of economic efficiency and service quality of tourism. It has established friendly relations with its counterparts in other countries and regions, and joined the Universal Federation of Travel Agents' Associations (UFTAA) and its affiliated UFTAA Asia Pacific Alliance (UAPA) and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), and enhanced contacts and cooperation with international nongovernmental tourism organizations. It has edited and published quite a number of tourism books and periodicals to meet the needs of tourists, both at home and abroad.