Beijing: China on Tuesday unveiled a convention asking its citizen to take note of their behaviour while travelling abroad, amidst reports of unruly behaviour by Chinese tourists. "Being a civilized tourist is the obligation of each citizen," said the convention, which singles out "protecting cultural relics" as one of the norms to be abided by tourists.
The convention, issued by the country's National Tourism Administration, rejects behaviours such as doodling on, or carving characters into, ancient relics, as well as climbing or touching cultural relics.
Photos can only be taken of relics when allowed by local regulations, according to the convention, quoted by state-run news agency.
It also called for maintaining a clean environment, complying with public orders, protecting ecology, protecting public infrastructure and utilities, respecting other people's rights, showing courtesy when with others and seeking appropriate entertainment.
It labels actions such as spitting, littering, vandalizing, jay-walking and cutting queues as improper behaviour. The regulation came after a Chinese teenage tourist left graffiti in an Egyptian temple causing a national uproar about how unruly Chinese tourists are ruining the national image abroad.
The convention was issued as Chinese citizens have been travelling more both at home and abroad in recent years. Government data showed nearly 3 billion domestic trips were made in 2012, and that outbound trips exceeded 80 million in the same year, making Chinese one of the highest number of travellers abroad.


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