Beijing city to promote suburban tourism

BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing municipal culture and tourism bureau on Thursday released guidelines to promote rural tourism in its suburban areas.

The bureau said there are 710 special tourism service providers such as fruit picking gardens, fishing homes and wine chateaus, and over 500 boutique homestays in the city's rural areas.

The newly released guidelines clarify the requirements and approval process for new rural homestays, and encourage the renovation and construction of high-end hotels in the suburbs.

The bureau said suburban tourism is a helpful supplement to the city's tourism, and is mulling a grading standard for rural homestays.