Tourism Law of the People’s Republic of China (Full Text)

Beijing, China, April 25 (Xinhua) Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China

(Adopted at the 2nd session of the standing committee of the 12th National People's Congress on April 25, 2013)

Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Tourists 

Chapter III Tourism Planning and Promotion

Chapter IV Tourism Operation

Chapter V Tourism Service Contract

Chapter VI Tourism Security

Chapter VII Tourism Supervision and Management

Chapter VIII Tourism Dispute Settlement 

Chapter IX Legal Responsibilities

Chapter X Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 This law is made to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the tourists and tourism operators, regulate the order of the tourism market, protect and reasonably utilize tourism resources, and promote the sustained and healthy development of tourism.  

Article 2 The law applies to the tours, vacations, leisure activities and other forms of tourism activities organized within the territory of or to go beyond the territory of the People’s Republic of China, and the business operations providing relevant tourism services. 

Article 3 The State develops tourism, improves public tourism services, and protects tourists’ rights in tourism activities. 

Article 4 The development of tourism shall follow the principle of unifying social, economic and ecological benefits. The State encourages all categories of market entities to reasonably and legally utilize tourism resources under the premise of effectively protecting them. Sightseeing sites built with public resources shall demonstrate their public nature.  

Article 5 The State advocates healthy, civilized and environmental ways of tourism, supports and encourages various social institutions to launch public tourism promotion activities for public welfare, and gives awards to the employers and individuals making outstanding contributions to promoting tourism development. 

Article 6 The State builds and improves tourism service standards and market rules, and prohibits industrial monopoly and regional monopoly. Tourism operators shall run business with integrity, compete fairly, and undertake their social responsibilities to provide safe, healthy, sanitary and convenient tourism services for the tourists. 

Article 7 The State Council builds and improves an integrated tourism coordination mechanism to make overall coordination for tourism development. 

Local people’s governments above the county level shall strengthen the organization and leadership of tourism work, clearly designate specific tourism departments and institutions, and make the overall coordinate between tourism development, supervision and operation in their respective administrative regions. 

Article 8 Tourism industry organizations established in accordance with the law shall carry out self-regulation.