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Catapulting Wuxi into an International Tourism Hotspot: Highlights from the 2024 Global Travel Agents Conference and Wuxi Inbound Tourism Product Promotion Event
To accelerate the fusion of culture, commerce, sports, and tourism in Wuxi’s core area, boost the economic vitality of the cultural and tourism sector, and enhance Wuxi’s market presence as the heart of the Yangtze River International Golden Tourism Belt and a premier cultural tourism destination, the 2024 Global Conference of Travel Agents and Wuxi Inbound Tourism Product Promotion Conference was held from May 10th to 12th at the Qingming Bridge Square on Nanchang Street in Liangxi District, Wuxi.
The event saw the participation of numerous leaders and representatives, including Li Qiufeng, Standing Member of the CPC Wuxi Municipal Committee and Director of the Publicity Department; Zhu Gang, Secretary of the Liangxi District Committee and Director of the Wuxi Liangxi Science and Technology City Management Bureau; Jiang Yunjie, Secretary of the CPC Committee and Director of the Wuxi Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, and Level 2 Bureau-Rank Official; Gu Bicheng, Deputy Director of the Wuxi Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Bureau (Copyright Bureau), and Deputy Director of the Cultural Industry Promotion Office; Ping Weidong, Deputy Director of the Wuxi Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism; Zhou Xiaohong, Member of the Liangxi District Committee and Director of the Publicity Department; Zhao Lei, Deputy District Mayor of the Liangxi District People’s Government; and Deng Shujun, Secretary of the CPC Committee and Director of the Jiangnan Grand Canal Tourism Resort Management Office.
The event also invited Pan Ning, Deputy Director of the General Project Office of the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Xin Hongye, Former Deputy Director of the Information Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Zhang Hui, Member of the “14th Five-Year Plan” Expert Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Expert Committee of the World Tourism Cities Federation, and Dean of the Institute of Modern Tourism at Beijing Jiaotong University; Zhang Jina and Wang Jiaxin, Project Officers of the Member Relations Department of the World Tourism Alliance; Sun Guizhen, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Association of Travel Services (CATS); Zhang Kexiong, President of the Inbound Tourism Branch of CATS; and Zheng Lin, Executive President of the Inbound Tourism Branch of CATS. Additionally, representatives from 136 travel agencies from countries and regions including the UK, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Uzbekistan attended the event.
The objective of the event is to convene premier travel agencies from prominent international and domestic markets, alongside key players in inbound tourism from diverse provinces and cities across China. The aim is to create an exhibition space and booths showcasing Wuxi’s exceptional cultural and tourism resources, facilitating extensive promotion and introduction efforts. This will effectively link suppliers and buyers, fostering the advancement of Wuxi’s inbound tourism supply chain with a focus on high-quality development.
Throughout the event, the organizers meticulously arranged visits for travel agency representatives from diverse regions to explore Liangxi District and its surrounding key scenic areas and commercial districts. They also arranged specific meetings for local suppliers of inbound cultural tourism products to connect with each other. This platform fostered deep exchanges between prominent international tourism institutions and top domestic inbound travel agencies, aiding Liangxi in its goal to become a core cultural and tourism hub and a sought-after leisure destination. During the event, the Inbound Tourism Branch of the China Association of Travel Services and the Jiangnan Grand Canal Tourism Resort Management Office jointly launched the “Beautiful Liangxi” cultural and tourism project collaboration. Representatives from 9 inbound tourism companies from home and abroad signed strategic cooperation agreements with Liangxi District Cultural and Tourism Group for the transportation of inbound tourists. The “Ten Thousand Foreign Tourists in Wuxi” initiative kicked off in Liangxi, with anticipated inbound tourism consumption exceeding $20 million for the year. Additionally, an on-site industry expert exchange meeting delved into the future of international tourism, highlighting the pivotal role of inbound tourism in bolstering the international reputation of destination cities. The event received promotion from over 40 domestic and international media outlets, with large-scale video displays strategically positioned in Times Square, New York City, USA, and Namba, Chuo Ward, Osaka, Japan. These displays featured continuous footage of promotional videos highlighting the cultural and tourism offerings of Wuxi Liangxi, contributing to the heightened international exposure of the region’s cultural and tourism assets.
In line with President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative and aiming to foster global cultural exchange and mutual understanding through tea, the “Tea for Harmony” Yaji Cultural Salon, a flagship project under the “Cultural Silk Road” initiative, successfully debuted across 47 countries worldwide, garnering positive feedback. To further promote Chinese tea culture, the “Tea for Harmony” themed boutique tour routes were meticulously selected through a campaign overseen by the China International Culture Association and implemented by the China Association of Travel Services. An awards ceremony for the “Tea for Harmony” Top 10 Boutique Tour Routes was held during the event, where Ms. Sun Guizhen, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Association of Travel Services, presented honor certificates and trophies to the winners.
The 2024 Global Conference of Travel Agents chose Liangxi District in Wuxi City as its venue for several reasons. Firstly, as the central urban area of Wuxi City, Liangxi District boasts the richest and most concentrated historical and cultural resources, as well as vibrant cultural tourism scenes. Secondly, Liangxi District has consistently followed the development direction of “promoting tourism through culture and highlighting culture through tourism”. Its high-quality tourism environment and diverse cultural tourism products have strongly attracted tourists from both home and abroad. Since 2024, tourism enthusiasm has been on the rise, from the New Year’s Day and Spring Festival to the “steady recovery” during the Qingming Festival, and the booming popularity during the May Day holiday. With tourism demand and supply thriving, the 5 major scenic spots in the district, including Huishan Ancient Town and the Qingming Bridge Historical and Cultural Block, have welcomed a total of 7.286 million tourists, marking a 38.2% increase compared to the previous year. This has resulted in tourism revenue reaching 10.77 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 33.4%.
The event not only provided a comprehensive platform for showcasing and promoting local high-quality cultural tourism supply chain resources but also served as an important stage for sharing experiences and learning from each other in tourism development. Additionally, it offered new development ideas for Liangxi to create a demonstration zone integrating culture, commerce, industry, and tourism. Furthermore, it will further propel Wuxi to become a leading inbound tourism destination city in East China and even the whole country, injecting new vitality into Wuxi’s cultural and tourism industry. The event will undoubtedly promote the high-quality development of Wuxi’s inbound tourism supply chain and play a significant role in advancing the cultural and tourism industry in the city.
Release ID: 89129841
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