Abstract:

Construction of the Yangtze River international tourism belt is an important strategic goal of tourism development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). The proposal of the Yangtze River international tourism belt concept means that "tourism in the Yangtze River" has become an important part of the Yangtze River Economic Belt development. The importance of the Yangtze River international tourism belt for regional tourism development in China is indicated by the following: (1) Spatially, the Yangtze River international tourism belt realizes, for the first time, the expansion from "regional tourism" to "basin-wide tourism." Combined with the advancement of urban agglomeration and with its unique cross-region complete natural landscape and cultural heritage units, the Yangtze River international tourism belt forms the backbone of Chinese regional tourism development space. (2) Temporally, the Yangtze River international tourism belt realizes the transition of Chinese regional tourism development from a "key industry" to "overall strategic industry." Tourism begins to show its overall strategic role for regional social and economic development. (3) At last, with regard to international development and cooperation, the planning and development of the Yangtze River international tourism belt also bridges regional tourism development in China and international development and opening-up. A new development paradigm that promotes international cooperation by domestic development, and promotes coupled domestic and international development by international cooperation comes into being. Regional tourism development pattern in the Yangtze River international tourism belt also gives rise to a series of systematic and comprehensive research propositions, Combined with the national principal function region strategy and regional key development strategy, these research propositions include "integrated development of tourism development strategy and regional development strategy of China," "Coordination and joint development of urban agglomeration and ecological function region tourism," "opening-up and joint development of coastal and border area tourism," and "comprehensive control system of basin-wide tourism."

Key words: regional tourism, basin-wide tourism, opening-up and development, global strategic industries, Yangtze River International Golden Tourism Belt