＂Cross-border＂ Integration of Tourism to Promote Green Development

Source: People’s Daily Online-People’s Daily Overseas Edition

Scenery of Aershan National Forest Park (photo of drone). Xinhua News Agency reporter Lian Zhenshe

Tourists watch the float parade in Aershan City, Xing ‘an League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Zhipeng photo

In September, the coolness in the Daxinganling forest area grew stronger, but the lush small town of Aershan was booming. On September 2-3, the 2023 China (Aershan) Tourism Conference, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Xinhua News Agency and the People’s Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was held in Aershan City, Xing ‘an League. Representatives of cultural and tourism industries from all over the country gathered in this small town famous for tourism to talk about the "cross-border" integration of tourism and promote green development.

Promote industrial integration

Talking about the Multiple Values of Tourism

During the tourism conference, theme forums such as "Green Development of Cultural Tourism Integration", "Tourism Promotes Exchanges and Blending among Ethnic Groups" and "Tourism Promotes Rural Revitalization and Helps Common Prosperity" were held successively. Dozens of experts and representatives talked about the integration of cultural tourism industry, and talked about the multiple values of tourism in ethnic cultural exchanges and blending, regional development and industrial upgrading.

"Tourism is an important channel for exchanges and mutual learning between different regions and cultures." Shan Gangxin, director of the Resource Development Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that in recent years, all localities have actively promoted industrial integration, enriched the supply of tourism products, and promoted exchanges, exchanges and blending among ethnic groups.

"Tourism has changed the life of Aunt Ding’s family." Rao Xiangbi, deputy director of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, introduced at the meeting that Ding Dama’s family in Gongshan County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture has six ethnic groups. As the earliest person in the local area to set up a family inn, Ding Dama passed on the ethnic integration family culture to tourists, which was popular among tourists and it was hard to find a room in the peak season.

According to "2023 China Tourism and Vacation Development Report" released by china tourism academy during the Tourism Conference, the development of China’s holiday industry has initially formed such modes as linkage development of scenic spots, creation of accommodation scenes and development of industrial clusters. Tourism "cross-border" and "out of the circle" promote industrial integration and constantly broaden the tourism format. Sanhuali Resort with "Agriculture+Cultural Tourism", Tsingtao Brewery Garden with "Industry+Cultural Tourism" and Cool Play Town with "Sports+Cultural Tourism" in Ke Qiao, Shaoxing, and other industrial integration practices, break through industrial barriers and enhance regional development value.

Promote common prosperity

Discussion on focusing on rural revitalization

At the meeting, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Xinhua News Agency jointly launched the activity of "I design for the countryside", and at the same time held the awarding ceremony of national ski resorts and national key villages and towns for rural tourism.

"Rural tourism can organically combine rural excellent traditional culture, natural local features and modern tourism needs, and promote rural industrial integration, improve living environment and increase villagers’ income." Zhang Xiaoli, Director of the Rural Tourism and Creative Products Guidance Division of the Resource Development Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, introduced at the forum.

"In recent years, all parts of Inner Mongolia have actively explored the path and mode of rural tourism development and created a number of demonstration villages to help rural revitalization." Wei Zhiguo, deputy director of the Inner Mongolia Department of Culture and Tourism, said.

The exhibition "Ten Years in Aershan" was held during the conference. Ten years ago, most people in rural areas of Aershan lived in old houses with "boards and mud", and the forestry resources on which they depended for their livelihood were gradually exhausted and their living conditions were poor. In 2012, the commercial logging of natural forests was completely stopped in Aershan City, and the ecological construction was re-dressed in green for the forest area. Forestry workers "put down their axes as tour guides", and tourism gave this small town a new vitality.

In the past 10 years, the number of tourists received in Aershan has increased from more than 2 million to more than 5 million. In the first half of this year, the number of tourists received by Aershan City increased by 6 times year-on-year, achieving a tourism income of 1.65 billion yuan. Today, nearly half of the population in Aershan is engaged in tourism. As tourism becomes more and more popular, the lives of ordinary people are getting more and more prosperous.

Advocate harmonious symbiosis

Suggestions on the development of green tourism

The theme of this tourism conference is "Green Development of Cultural Tourism Integration". Experts and representatives put forward suggestions on the development of green tourism market, product design, resource development and business philosophy to promote the development of green tourism.

Tang Xiaoyun, vice president of China Tourism Research Institute, said that in recent years, a variety of green tourism products in China have attracted much attention, and forest baths, hot spring baths, grassland tours, diving, skiing, mountaineering and hiking have continuously catalyzed the development of the green tourism market.

Lihong Fu’s travel agency launched a study tour on forest ecology. She took her children into the deep forest and picked up pine cones and needles on the ground. "Nature is the best raw material for artistic creation." Lihong Fu said that she started a study tour group to let children know about forest culture and feel the concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature in artistic creativity.

Next to the venue of the tourism conference is the forest oxygen bath road in Aershan City. When tourists walk up the mountain road, it is not difficult to find that the steps are composed of abandoned train track sleepers, which not only has historical vicissitudes, but also reflects the green tourism development concept. The Lujiaowan Hot Spring Holiday Camp in Aershan City adopts overhead design to protect the original ecological function of the grassland under the building.

"We will actively develop green tourism with intensive resources, environmental protection, energy saving and low carbon, and sharing between host and guest." Tang Xiaoyun proposed that the national cultural and tourism system should further strengthen the protection of resources, improve the efficiency of resource utilization, improve the quality of green tourism services, and vigorously promote the formation of a new trend of civilized, healthy and green tourism.

(Xinhua News Agency, Hohhot, reporter He Shuzhen)