Cultural tourism in China is facing a golden opportunity for development with favorable policies and growing demand, a senior official said here Sunday.

"The cultural element is essential to the transformation and sustainable development of tourism. It can bring significance, taste, diversity, fame and brand effect to the tourism industry," said Cai Wu, China's minister of culture.

China's national strategies to boost the culture and tourism stressed the combined development of the two industries, providing policy support for boosting cultural tourism, Cai said.

Moreover, the people's growing demand for cultural products provided a huge market, he added.

Starting 2010, the Ministry of Culture and the National Tourism Administration will hold a theme year of cultural tourism in every four years, an international cultural tourism festival in every two years and support eight to 10 local cultural tourism events, Cai said.

China is to enlist key cultural tourism projects and provide them with favorable policies and supports in information and marketing, he added.

"We encourage innovation and the use of advanced technologies that feature local culture and bring good brand effect," Cai said.

The environment-friendly cultural tourism industry will create jobs, boost local economy and most importantly meet people"s cultural and spiritual needs, he said.