Wuhan, the capital city of Central China's Hubei province, released several measures to support the recovery and development of the city's cultural tourism industry on Aug 24.
The measures cover eight aspects of support, including granting subsidies for work and production resumption, implementing special financial support, launching free training in the cultural tourism industry, promoting the transformation and upgrading of the cultural and tourism sector and supporting the construction of crucial cultural tourism projects.
In terms of granting subsidies for work and production resumption, travel agencies should properly handle refunds for group tours.
Corresponding subsidies will be provided for the resumption of work at star-rated tourist hotels and business hotels, and the resumption of operations at A-level tourist attractions.
Subsidies will also be given to current tour guides and language-trained tour guides.
In terms of implementing financial support, Wuhan will make a list of cultural and tourism companies eligible to obtain special funding and guide financial institutions to increase support for the companies on the list. The city will also organize and carry out bank-enterprise cooperation activities.
The city will accelerate the implementation of government policies on tourism development and take full advantage of the various awards and subsidies secured in 2019.
Free professional training will also be offered to those in Wuhan's cultural tourism industry, with online and offline lessons in practical English available for industry managers. Also, tour guides will have the option to continue their education, and the city will offer training on epidemic prevention and control measures.
Wuhan will also issue 80 million yuan ($11.67 million) in cultural and tourism consumption coupons to drive spending in the city. Two million free vouchers will be given to tourists to boost consumption and cultural tourism growth.
