A Russian tourist receives cupping treatment at a sanatorium in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, June 2, 2018. Experts attending a tourism forum held in Beijing Dec. 12, 2018 said health tourism featuring the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is embracing a golden time for development. At the forum, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies announced the establishment of a special committee to promote TCM health tourism worldwide. TCM health tourism provides tourists with an array of events, allowing them to experience traditional Chinese methods of healthcare such as acupuncture and cupping therapy, and learn about related theories and traditional culture. With 138 million inbound trips in 2016, China is among the most popular destinations for international travelers, making it possible for TCM health tourism to develop. According to a 2016 document released by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the country plans to set up 10 demonstration zones and 100 demonstration bases of TCM health tourism within three years. Provincial-level regions including Beijing and Hainan have pioneered TCM tourism by pushing forward tourism projects and devising tourism routes since as early as 2011. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
