Chengdu Tourism Strategy Pays Off Tration As One of the Nation’S Best Tourism Destinations

24 chengduspecial WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013 CHINA DAILY

Chengdu is the land of the giant panda. Sichuan capital attracts with its ancient charm

Home of giant pandas, archaeological wonders and renowned cuisine, Chengdu is a city with a wealth of tourism resources, which local leaders say are crucial to boost- ing the city’s economy as well as gaining Pictured here is an aerial night view of Chengdu, a modern city rich in tourism resources. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY influence abroad. One of China’s famous historical and cultural centers, Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan province, has been recognized by the National Tourism Adminis- Chengdu tourism strategy pays off tration as one of the nation’s best tourism destinations. It is also the fifth Chinese observation site that the United Nations World Tourism Visitors report high satisfaction as city Organization has established to promote sustainable tourism. The center gathers and improves services in this key industry reports data to measure the environmental, cultural, social and economic impacts of tourism based on the UNWTO’s sustain- By ZHANG ZHAO able tourism indictors. Qinghai [email protected] Yellow Of the five observation sites, Chengdu is Sea the only urban area, and it is an important or the third consecutive year, Chengdu regional tourism hub for China’s southwest. Shaanxi was among the top five in a national A UNWTO official said they chose 200 km ranking of cities based on tourist satis- Chengdu to find ways tourism could slow faction, according to Shanghaan annuali survey the pace of life in a place where society and Chengdu by the China Tourism Academy. the economy are developing so quickly. Sichuan F Chongqing The 2012 rankings, which were unveiled Moreover, Chengdu is also an ancient earlier this month, surveyed 60 domestic cit- city that has never moved or changed its ies, and Chengdu ranked fifth after Suzhou, name during the past two millennia, which

Guizhou Shanghai, Huangshan and Nanjing. The city is a rarity among the developmental histo- Yunnan took fifth for the first time in 2010 and fourth ries of cities worldwide. in 2011. Chengdu has a rich history and a pro- The survey also rated Chengdu the highest found cultural legacy. Its leisurely lifestyle NUMBERS among cities in the central and western region. Old-style homes line a quiet stream in a classic example of Chengdu’s idyllic rural lifestyle. and the idyllic scenery of rural areas also The local tourism authority estimated that add to the allure of the city. the city received 122 million tourists over the Chengdu is the land of the giant panda, last year, increasing 26.1 percent compared a highly endangered species — fewer than with 2011. More than 1.5 million of them were 2,000 remain the world. 5th from overseas, up 27.7 percent year-on-year. Some 10 kilometers from the downtown Chengdu’s place in a ranking of Last year, the tourism industry grew by 30 a giant panda breeding research center 60 Chinese cities according to percent and generated 105 billion yuan ($17 houses around 100 giant pandas in a free tourist satisfaction. billion). and simulated wild environment. It is a The government of Chengdu is working perfect place for people to observe and have to improve tourism management, policies close contact with the iconic animals. and services to make the city into a world- The center also breeds other endangered renowned sightseeing destination. species, such as the red panda and the black-necked crane. 122 Driving engine The panda center may be mainly attrac- million Tourism strategies have been a focal point of tive to kids and animal lovers, but the city the city’s overall development plan since 2010, also has many historical relics to impress tourists visited Chengdu last year, an increase of 26.1 percent when it was named as one of the nation’s first other visitors. compared with 2011. pilot cities for comprehensive tourism reforms. In 2001, the remains of the 3,000-year- The tourism authority has customized poli- old Jinsha civilization were dug out at cies for each tourism site in the city in addition the city’s western suburb, which is widely to establishing a promotional organization and believed to have been the capital of the a database of major projects. ancient Shu state. The city government also has optimized land Qingcheng Mountains, birthplace of Taoism. The site, covering an area of 5 square management policies related to tourism. In kilometers, has been hailed as one of the 105 2011, it unveiled new subsidies to major tour- major archeological discoveries in China billion yuan ism projects and service infrastructure. in the 21st century. was generated by Chengdu’s Tourism administrations have been estab- One of the unearthed Jinsha relics is a tourism industry in 2012. lished in 11 counties. Top city officials and gold foil of the divine solar bird, which is county governments are involved in the man- now the symbol of Chengdu and its Chi- agement, including resources deployment, nese cultural heritage. attracting investment and marketing strategies. Other artifacts made from ivory, jade, Longmen Mountain and Longquan Moun- bronze, gold and stone have also been tain have been designated as two pilot zones for found at the site, reflecting the mystery ecological tourism-based industries. and glory of the ancient Shu state. 11 With registered capital totaling 220 million Chengdu is also home to Qingcheng counties in Chengdu have estab- yuan and a 5-billion-yuan loan from Bank of Mountain and the Dujiangyan irriga- lished tourism administrations. China, the governments of six counties bor- tion system. The mountain has long been dering the Longmen Mountain, together with recognized as the birthplace of Taoism, Chengdu Culture and Tourism Group, have China’s ancient indigenous religion, and founded a company to develop and manage Dujiangyan is considered to be the oldest the tourism site. functioning water-control project in the The company has invested 123 million yuan world. 123 in the ancient township of Pingle, a tourism According to the historical records, the attraction some 90 kilometers southwest of Dujiangyan system was built in 256 BC million yuan Chengdu. It also plans to launch another proj- by a local official to tame frequent flood- has been invested in the ancient ect in Jiezi town, which is estimated to be worth Renowned Sichuan hotpot is widely available in Chengdu, the provincial capital. ing of the Minjiang River. It survived the township of Pingle, a tourism attraction southwest of Chengdu. 1 billion yuan. disastrous Wenchuan earthquake almost Similar companies have been founded in a Smart tourism information retrieval systems It is expected to become one of the country’s unscathed in 2008. number of counties and districts. are installed in any hotel with a three-star rank- economic powerhouses over the next decade, These two tourist spots were both includ- The city established information centers ing or higher. The system is supported by a local officials say. ed on the list of UNESCO world heritage in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It database of around 400,000 entries about the Considerable investment has already been sites in 2000. does promotion and marketing in seven major city’s tourism sites and related services. drawn to the city, which now hosts more than In addition, the city also has 17 national overseas tourist sources, including Japan and In the near future, the government will focus 200 Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, intangible cultural heritages and hosts the 400k Singapore. on developing a number of competitive prod- Dell and Intel. world’s only related theme festival approved entries on the city’s tourism High-tech approaches are also employed to ucts for tourists, and will strive to make its It also ranks first in the southwestern region by the State Council. sites and related services are enhance tourists’ experience. tourism marketing more customer oriented. in terms of the number of foreign banks and Chengdu is also famous for its spicy, fla- accessible through smart Thanks to cooperation between local tour- In addition, the city plans to build a tourism consulates . vorful cuisine. It has more than 6,000 dish- tourism information retrieval systems installed in hotels across ism authorities and the three major Chinese call center to deal with inquiries, complaints Chengdu will host this year’s Fortune Global es, and its signature dish is Sichuan hotpot. Chengdu. telecommunication operators, tourists from and emergency response. Forum, making it the first southwestern venue In 2010, Chengdu became the first city outside Chengdu receive a welcome message However, Chengdu is not only a city of tour- to hold the grand event, which was previously in Asia to be recognized by UNESCO as a upon arrival in the city. ism but also a burgeoning economy. hosted by Shanghai and Hong Kong. “world capital of gourmet food”.