China International Travel Service (abbreviated to CITS) was established on April 15, 1954, with 12 branches in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, and other major cities. At its beginning, CITS has been a department of the Foreign Culture Exchange State Committee and department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over a decade, acting as a nongovernmental friendship bridge for the state between home and abroad.
19 CITS branches had been set up in major cities across the country to the end of 1957, while the business network was initially formed. During this period, CITS focused on foreign affairs reception.
Another 35 CITS branches were established.
CITS was authorized with another official name: China National Tourism Administration Bureau (abbreviated to CNTA). At this stage, government function and enterprise management was combined; the CNTA and CITS were in different names but with the same staff. CITS has established 46 branches until 1996.
According to Principle of Separation of Enterprise from Administration, CITS specialized in all travel- related service, while CNTA concentrated on national tourism management.
CITS was authorized to be an enterprise unit, which operated independently and assumed sole responsibility for its own profits and losses.
CNTA authorized the establishment of China International Travel Service Group.
The State Economic and Trade Commission approved the CITS to form CITS Group Corporation. CITS has been bloomed into a large state owned key enterprise group, which fully demonstrated its role as a leading enterprise in China's tourism industry.
CITS was listed among the 100 Pilot Enterprises of Modern Enterprise System by the State Council.
CITS was listed as one of 520 key state enterprises.
CITS was separated from CNTA and became an enterprise directly under the administration of the Central government.
CITS became the only industrial member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in China and successfully passed the ISO9001 Authentication.
CITS was the only tourism company among China Top 500 Enterprises. Its revenue growth, profit growth, per capital revenue, and per capital profit all ranked Top 100.
CITS was listed among China Top 500 Enterprises and ranked 1st in tourism by National Bureau of Statistics.
CITS became a central enterprise under State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. At the end of this year, CITS merged with China Duty-free Group.
During the 2004 World Brand and China Top 500 Most Valuable Brand conferences, held by World Brand Laboratory (WBL) and World Economic Forum (WEF), CITS, with its brand value reaching RMB 8.881 billion, ranked number No.53 and No.1 in Tourism Industry respectively.
CITS donated RMB 200,000 Yuan to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami stricken areas.
CITS was listed as a Top 500 Mundell International Tourism Industry at the Mundell Global Top 500 enterprises in travel industry award ceremony, held by Mundell Magazine in New York.
CITS was identified as one of Beijing AAAAA Class Travel Agencies.
CITS changed its name to China International Travel Service Company, Limited.
CITS successfully became an A-Share Listed Company.
During the 2011 World Brand and China Top 500 Most Valuable Brand conferences, CITS, with its brand value reaching RMB 19.6 billion, ranked No.1 in Tourism Industry.
During the 2012 World Brand and China Top 500 Most Valuable Brand conferences, held by World Brand Laboratory (WBL), CITS, with its brand value reaching RMB 22.56 billion, ranked No.1 in Tourism Industry.
