Order of the State Council on Issuing the Measures for Administration of Outbound Tours by Chinese Citizens
Order of the State Council on Issuing the Measures for Administration of Outbound Tours by Chinese Citizens
Order of the State Council on Issuing the Measures for Administration of Outbound Tours by Chinese Citizens
Order of the State Council[2002]No.354
May 27, 2002
(Adopted at the 50th Executive Meeting of the State Council on December 12, 2001, promulgated by Decree No. 354 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on May 27, 2002, and effective as of July 1, 2002)
Premier: Zhu Rongji
Attached: Administration of Outbound Tours by Chinese Citizens
Article 1These Measures are formulated for the purposes of regulating Chinese citizens' outbound tours organized by travel agencies and safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the tourists and operators of outbound tours.
Article 2The countries with approved destination status shall be proposed by the tourism administration department of the State Council jointly with the relevant departments of the State Council and published by the tourism administration department of the State Council after submission to and approval by the State Council.
No unit or individual may organize Chinese citizens for tours to countries other than the countries with approved destination status published by the tourism administration department of the State Council; organizing Chinese citizens for temporary tours involving sports, culture or other specialized activities to countries other than the countries with approved destination status published by the tourism administration department of the State Council shall be subject to the approval of the tourism administration department of the State Council.
Article 3 A travel agency that is to operate the business of outbound tours shall meet the following requirements:
1. one full year has passed since it obtained the qualifications as an international travel agency;
2. having prominent performance in operating the business of inbound tours;
3. having no record of serious law-breaking acts and major problems in service quality in its operation.
Article 4 A travel agency that applies for operating the business of outbound tours shall submit an application to the tourism administration department of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government, which shall, within 30 working days from the date of accepting the application, finish the examination thereof in accordance with the requirements set forth in Article 3 of these Measures. Upon examination, if the application is approved, it shall be submitted to the tourism administration department of the State Council for approval; if the application is denied, the applicant shall be informed in writing with the reasons therefor stated.
The tourism administration department of the State Council shall approve travel agencies operating the business of outbound tours on the basis of tourism development plans and the need for rational distribution.
Without approval from the tourism administration department of the State Council, no unit or individual may operate the business of outbound tours or conduct such operation under the disguises such as business, study or training trips.
Article 5 The tourism administration department of the State Council shall publish the name list of the travel agencies that have obtained the qualifications for operating the business of outbound tours (hereinafter referred to as authorized travel agencies) and circulate such list among the relevant departments of the State Council.
Article 6 The tourism administration department of the State Council shall, on the basis of the nationwide performance of inbound tourism in the previous year, the increase in the number of destination countries and the trend of outbound tours, determine by the end of February each year the annual total quotas of outbound tourists, and distribute quotas to the tourism administration departments of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government.
The tourism administration departments of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, on the basis of the performance in operating inbound tours in the previous year, operation capacity and service quality of each authorized travel agency in their respective administrative areas, determine by the end of March each year the annual quotas of outbound tourists to be distributed to each authorized travel agency in a fair, just and open way.
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