Do you ever think you could be the next Steven Spielberg or are even better than Zhang Yimou? You might believe the only difference is that those two film directors have a camera and you don't. If so, perhaps now is a chance to prove yourself.

Anyone can shoot a film alone without worrying about actors, props and a cameraman, according to Qiu Guangjian, marketing manager of Hengdian World Studios.

All you need to do is direct. Moreover, the budget for such a film is surprisingly low, perhaps 1,000 yuan (US$125).

Hengdian, one of China's most successful studio bases, has become a key choice for people wanting to make their own movies and is helping to make it a magnet for tourists.

The town, in the central part of Zhejiang Province, has few historical or cultural relics. But there were still 3 million tourists in 2005 and this number will double in 2006, according to Qiu.

"Here you can experience unique and exciting things," Qiu added.

This is just one successful marketing story for China's burgeoning tourism industry. Statistics from the National Tourism Administration show that the country's tourism industry has grown by an average of 11 per cent per year over the past 10 years.

Last year, the sector brought in about 400 billion yuan (US$50 billion) and provided 44.5 million jobs.

"In the past decade we have seen a rapid growth in China's tourism industry. And this will continue in the next decade," said Lin Shan, deputy chief of China Tourism Association.

He was backed by Richard Beere, chairman of the board of directors of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Beere said China's tourism industry has grown very quickly recently. But he said China should work hard to keep up with visitors' demands, for example in roads and airports.

Almost all of the country's 27 provinces and autonomous regions have chosen tourism as key industries. But facing so much competition they need to work hard to attract visitors, industry insiders warned.

"All cities and tourism spots must have a unique charm and pay more attention to marketing with the globalization of tourism on the way," said Gu Chaoxi, deputy chief of the National Tourism Administration.

South China's Shenzhen is one example of a successful case. Its strategy is simple; to make full use of its theme parks, according to Yue Chuanjiang, deputy director of Shenzhen Tourism Administration.

The parks include Minsk World, Happy Valley and World Window.

"Everybody who comes here wants to have a look at them because they are unique in China," said Yue.

Meanwhile, East China's Nanjing city implements an "old" strategy when marketing tourist spots.

It enjoys a history of at least 1,000 years and so has several renowned historical and cultural relics, including Dr Sun Yet-Sen's Mausoleum, a Confucius Temple and the Tomb of the First Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Recently, Nanjing has spent billions of yuan renewing and protecting these relics and marketing them abroad.

Nanjing mainly focuses on getting visitors from neighbouring countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore that have deep Chinese cultural origins, according to Zheng Xiaoming, deputy director of Nanjing Tourism Bureau.

"They all share a special feeling toward Chinese tradition and culture. This is what we are good at and why we can attract more international visitors," said Zheng.

(China Daily June 27, 2006)