on-the-site studies of the main tourist resources, etc. of Wuwei and Jiuquan, and along the Northern Route of the Tian Shan Mountains and the Southern Route of the Western Region have been excluded. Although there are differences by region, the development of transportation and telecommunication facilities are evidently in progress as well as the construction of hotels with air conditioning and hot water. Travel on the Silk Road in China can be improved in many more ways, but we could perceive steady progress being made to offer travelers a more comfortable trip. It will not be long before the season for travel, though more or less restricted to the summer at present, will include the harsh winter with its severe weather conditions and be possible all year round. In effect, it will attract more people to the Silk Road, and thus business of the tourism industry will stabilize, and tourism development will take a step forward in the right direction.
The development of travel on the Silk Road in China will have a positive impact on tourism development along the Silk Road across the Chinese borders and into the Central Asian countries and we expect tourism to develop there as well.
In January 1997, it was pointed out at the "Nara Silk Road Travel Forum" that travel on the Silk Road in Central Asian countries suffered from lack of information, inconvenient transportation and telecommunications facilities, insufficient accommodation facilities, simple meals, difficulty in getting visas, lack of Japanese speaking guides, etc. These points are similar to those regarding travel on the Silk Road in China ten years ago.
In China, the present status of travel on the Silk Road was achieved through the hard work of tourism-related personnel for more than ten years to improve the receiving system for overseas travelers. In June 1996, the "WTO Silk Road Forum, Xi'an" was held and the positive attitude of China toward the development of the Silk Road was highly praised by the participants at the Forum. We hope the attitude of China will cross the borders of China and promote travel on the Silk Road in Central Asian countries.
In October 1996, Dr. Higuchi gave a lecture in Dunhuang entitled "Promotion of Tourism and Preservation of Tourist Resources." In his lecture, Dr. Higuchi said, "Tourism is the, act of traveling to different countries to see and learn about the wonders they possess. In turn, it enriches our lives. I would like people of China, Japan and all
