Exploring New Drivers of Tourism: China Tourism Day 2023’s Theme

Xinhua News Agency, Zhengzhou, May 19th Topic: Heading towards a happy journey to explore new drivers of tourism in various places

Xinhua News Agency reporters Li Wenzhe, Yan Yong, Zhang Xinyi

The integration of culture and tourism has broken the circle, the popularity of national style and national trend is high, and the hot scene of “people following the crowd” has reappeared in traditional tourism hotspots; the tourism industry has diversified development, “tourism + X” has played new ideas, and emerging tourist destinations continue to emerge… May The 19th is the 13th “China Tourism Day”, and this year’s theme is “Beautiful China, Happy Journey”. Towards a happy journey, all regions are actively exploring new drivers of tourism.

The sense of cultural experience is full of enthusiasm for tourism

Auspicious morning bells, music and dance welcome, guests entering the city… In front of the Wanren palace wall in Qufu, Shandong, the hometown of Confucius, the daily opening ceremony welcomes guests from all over the world with grand traditional etiquette. “Traditional culture is so ceremonial!” said Sun Likun, a tourist from Hebei who was dressed in Hanfu. He and his classmates had just watched the performance of the Kaicheng ceremony, and couldn’t help applauding.

As the starting point of the “Guochao Confucian Rhythm” study tour, the opening ceremony is only the first stop for Sun Likun and his classmates. On the same day, they will also visit the “Three Kongs” scenic spot in Hanfu, visit the Confucius Museum, learn handcrafting skills in the intangible cultural heritage workshop, visit the holy land of Nishan at night, and experience the brand-new cultural scene and ancient charm in an immersive way.

Since the beginning of this year, Qufu has received nearly 800,000 research and study tourists. Chu Yanli, deputy mayor of Qufu City, said that the immersive study tour integrated with rich history and culture is immersive and meets the psychological needs of tourists to “seek novelty, novelty, knowledge, and pleasure”.

Once stepping into the picture scroll, one day dreams back to the millennium, the young people’s skirts are fluttering, and the round fan covers the face and shuttling among the historical sites… In the ancient city of Luoyi, Luoyang, Henan, and the Twelve Hours of Chang’an, Xi’an, Shaanxi, “Cross-dressing” Also standard.

On May 19, the Tourist Satisfaction Research Group of the China Tourism Academy released the “National Tourist Satisfaction Survey Report for the First Quarter of 2023”. The report shows that in the first quarter of 2023, the comprehensive satisfaction index of national domestic tourists is 80.41, a quarter-on-quarter increase of 0.29%, which is in the “satisfactory” range, and the trend of stabilization and recovery is beginning to appear. Taking Luoyang, a city that ranks among the top in tourist satisfaction, as an example, Meituan data shows that online orders for Luoyang Hanfu experience during the “May 1” holiday increased by 680% from the previous month.

“We provide not only Hanfu, but also rich scene experiences such as national style market, museum ‘night stay’, immersive performances, etc., so that tourists can experience the profound connotation, spirit and power of Chinese culture.” Luoyang Cultural Broadcasting and Tourism Bureau chief Li Zhenkan said.

Digitization Empowers Cultural Tourism Butterfly Transformation

On May 19, the main event and launching ceremony of the 13th “China Tourism Day” was held in Heshun Ancient Town, Tengchong City, Yunnan Province. At the intangible cultural heritage tourism exhibition that day, the 4D shadow puppet show “Tengchong Past” made people’s eyes shine.

“Tengchong is located in the southwestern border of the motherland, and was hailed as the “first city on the extreme edge” by Xu Xiake, a traveler in the Ming Dynasty. With the help of modern stage technology and holographic projection technology, the stage of shadow puppetry can be expanded and changed, and intelligent scene switching can be realized. History is vividly interpreted.” said Liu Chaokan, inheritor of Tengchong shadow puppetry, a national intangible cultural heritage.

Digital technology makes history and culture within easy reach. In the Holy Land of Nishan Mountain in Qufu, the drone show, light, shadow and water show decorate the night sky into a dreamy picture scroll. More than 2,000 years ago, Confucius once sighed in Linchuan that “the dead are like a husband, never giving up day and night”; now, tourists are chatting in the same time and space amidst the mottled light and shadow.

In the comprehensive digital interactive experience hall of Erlitou Xiadu Ruins Museum, in the immersive three-dimensional image space created by nearly 40 projectors, visitors can intuitively experience the earliest “well”-shaped urban main road network and the magnificent momentum of the kingdom’s battle, as if Travel back to “Heheshadu”.

“To change the situation of cultural tourism products that are ‘talking but not interesting, interesting but not entertaining, and entertaining but not profitable’, the key is to combine technology and creativity.” Huang Dongsheng, director of the Henan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, introduced, around For the brand of “Walking in Henan and Understanding China”, Henan Province has selected the first batch of top 100 logo projects such as Erlitou Xiadu Site Museum, Yin Ruins, Henan Museum, Hongqi Canal, and Huangdi’s Hometown, and is openly soliciting digital creative design solutions.

“Tourism +” multiple business formats to improve quality and upgrade

The majestic and magnificent Taihang Mountains have created a natural mountain art. Located in the deep mountain gorge of Taihang, Shibanyan Town, Anyang City, Henan Province has a total permanent population of less than 10,000 people, but receives more than 2 million sketchers every year. With the implantation of tourism formats such as country houses, more than 3 million tourists come for leisure and vacation every year.

“I’d rather reduce the number of listings, but also ensure a good experience for tourists. The town has introduced a standard plan for homestays, and carried out renovation and upgrading projects for farmhouses, and continued to increase investment in infrastructure to improve service capabilities.” Shibanyan Town Party Secretary Lu Hongwei said.

Wu Liyun, an associate professor at the Institute of Chinese Culture and Tourism Industry of Beijing International Studies University, said that small towns and small towns can also “get out of the circle” by creating characteristic business formats, but they also need long-term and sustainable management and planning, and control related tourism products. Quality and supply of services.

The “White Paper on Yunnan Low-Carbon Tourism and Sustainable Development of the Whole Value Chain” and related initiatives were released at the main venue of “China Tourism Day” on the 19th. The concept of sustainable development of low-carbon environmental protection, simplicity and nature, and harmonious coexistence is increasingly integrated into the development of tourist cities around the world.

The heads of the cultural and tourism departments of many places who came to participate in the event said that they will work hard on the three elements of “resources, customer sources, and services”, develop high-quality tourist routes, and advocate green travel. In-depth implementation of business innovation projects, exploration of new business forms such as forest tours, mountain tours, and outdoor camping, to promote diversification, high-quality, and personalized tourism products.

“The journey itself is more important than the arrival. The essence of ‘low-carbon tourism’ is the extension of a healthy lifestyle in the tourism experience. We hope that through our initiatives and practical actions, we can make tourists’ journeys happier.” Deputy Director of Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism Director Lou Kewei said.