(Yicai Global) June 6 -- China's local tourism bodies have adopted new names and authority as the growth of the industry has an increasing impact on the national economy.

Previously dubbed 'tourism administrations,' the organizations are now known as 'tourism development commissions,' and they'll play a much more important role in their regions.

The Tourism Administration of Fujian Province recently adopted the name change and rose to become a constituent department of the provincial government. A total of 23 provinces and municipalities have taken on the new name, including Hainan, Beijing and Yunnan, whose tourism industries make up a large portion of the regional economy.

Tourism administrations were set up to execute orders and report to leadership, said Peng Peng, vice president of the Guangdong Society of Structural Reform. As a tourism development commission, the organizations have more important functions, such as decision making, policy formulation, planning and development and integrating resources.

"For example," Peng said, "if a province's tourism resources are quite scattered, the development commission can be more efficient than the old administrations, as they can bring the resources together."

In order to expand the tourism industry, it is necessary to develop more regional tourist attractions and products, Peng added. For example, as self-driving travel becomes more popular, relevant industries, such as vehicle rental, hotel accommodation and travel agencies, can be more personalized. For this, it is better to have a governmental department with the power to integrate resources, he added.