Survey reveals farmers wish to travel

(ECNS) -- A survey conducted by China Tourism Academy (Wuhan Branch) has exposed a growing tourism market for Chinese farmers, but that problems related to quality and safety may affect its development. 

The study included 2,000 families in rural areas across 12 eastern, middle, and western provinces and covered points such as tourism willingness, motivation, preferences, budget, and opinions. 

Released on December 13, it revealed that 74 percent of respondents indicated a strong willingness to travel although only 66.7 percent have done so in the past five years, mainly due to low incomes. 

Some 81.6 percent prefer making their own travelling plans, while 40.7 percent choose two day trips. In terms of budget, nearly half of farmers plan to spend 500 ($81) to 2000 yuan ($321) on one trip. 

The survey also revealed a low satisfaction rate with the current tourism industry. Some 73.8 percent of farmers were not happy with the tourist sites they visited, while nearly 50 percent complained about guide services, itineraries, traffic, accommodation, and catering.

In addition, 66.5 percent are concerned about safety while touring. 

Among the top destinations, Beijing ranked first, followed by Shanghai, Hainan, Yunnan, and Hangzhou.