On June 2, 2019, the "Gateway to Greatness · Wellness Jimei" — 2019 Jimei Wellness Tourism Promotion Conference was successfully held in Beijing. Nearly 200 guests, including veteran representatives from the National People's Congress, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Railways, and well-known domestic travel agencies, gathered together to experience the charm of Xiamen’s Jimei as a pleasant and livable destination.
The 2019 Jimei Wellness Tourism Promotion Conference was hosted by the Xiamen Jimei District Culture and Tourism Bureau. Its aim was to precisely expand the tourism market, further boost the popularity of Jimei tourism, promote the new sector of "Wellness Jimei," consolidate the wellness tourism clientele—especially veteran guests from Beijing—and help them learn more about Jimei. The focus was also on improving tourism accommodation to advance the high-quality development of Jimei tourism.
Strategic Planning: From Study Jimei to Wellness Jimei
In recent years, Xiamen’s Jimei District, guided by the "One Spirit and Three Cultures," has delved deeply into product supply-side exploration and precise positioning within the cultural tourism industry. It has anchored its development direction in cultural performances, family tourism, and study travel, striving to create a golden tourism brand as the "Hometown of Tan Kah Kee, Century-old Academic Village, Family-friendly Destination, and Capital of Study Travel."
The strong academic atmosphere and geographical advantage for cross-strait exchanges have made Jimei a city of culture and education suitable for study travel—a city full of potential. Currently, Jimei District has established a "1+N" study travel system, including one study headquarters, 30 study travel units, and 122 study course categories, catering to families and young students. Today, Jimei has become a renowned destination for study travel among students from both China and abroad. The rapid development of study travel has driven the comprehensive growth of Jimei’s tourism industry.
Reaching New Heights: Jimei has keenly identified the wellness market for the country’s 250 million elderly population, strategically planning and vigorously developing the wellness tourism industry. It has taken the lead in seizing industry opportunities in Xiamen and even Fujian. The Jimei District CPPCC has also held university symposiums, proposing goals and tasks for Jimei’s wellness tourism. The development of wellness tourism products not only enriches the structure of Jimei’s tourism offerings but also drives sustainable and healthy development, enhances tourism popularity and quality, and positions wellness tourism as a new growth pole for Jimei’s tourism industry.
Naturally Gifted: Jimei is Born for Wellness
As an important district of Xiamen, the "Garden on the Sea," Jimei is located at the geometric center of the city. It enjoys a pleasant climate and boasts a harmonious mix of mountains, sea, and lakes, featuring a 21-kilometer bay leisure scenic line, 92 square kilometers of mountainous ecological tourism resources, and the Xinglin Bay area, which is even larger than West Lake. Its natural scenery is stunning. Visiting the Water Amusement Park to enjoy flowers, take walks, watch birds, and view fish, or heading to Shuanglongtan for sports, outdoor activities, and rural leisure, has become a highlight of Jimei’s wellness tourism.
As is well known, Jimei is also a famous hometown of overseas Chinese. It was here that the patriotic overseas Chinese leader Mr. Tan Kah Kee invested in education, giving birth to the spirit of Tan Kah Kee. Today, Jimei has formed a unique "One Spirit and Three Cultures," which have become the core and cultural identity of the district.
As an essential part of tourism, Jimei’s distinctive Minnan flavors are truly unforgettable. In addition to authentic Minnan dishes such as duck meat noodles and satay noodles, the district also leverages the advantages of the Tasman Herb Garden to develop a series of health-focused gourmet meals using ingredients such as dendrobium (known as the "panda of the medicinal world" and the "first of China’s nine immortal herbs") and anoectochilus, which are both delicious and healthy.
Jimei not only has profound historical roots but also many beautiful legends, which have given rise to a variety of colorful performing arts. For example, the "Minnan Legendary Show" at the 4A-level attraction, Xiamen Old Courtyard, brings the unique Minnan culture and the special history of Minnan people venturing to Nanyang to the stage. The Lion Forest Circus City, leveraging its animal resources, offers spectacular animal circuses that provide visitors with a magnificent spiritual experience, attracting millions of tourists every year. Notably, the egg-shaped Lion Forest International Circus City, the Xiamen Old Courtyard Divine Journey to Huaxia Grand Theater, and the Star Nest Yue Center are affectionately called the "Two Eggs and One Star," becoming the "landmarks" of cultural performances in Jimei and even Xiamen.
Precision Marketing: Bringing Jimei Wellness to Beijing
After the BRICS Summit, Xiamen gained higher visibility and stronger appeal among the elderly population in northern China. Therefore, the first stop of "Wellness Jimei" was the nation’s capital, Beijing. It is understood that at this Jimei wellness tourism promotion conference, veteran representatives from the National People's Congress, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Service Development Center, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Culture, and other national ministries attended. The event also attracted industry associations such as the China Aging Industry Association, the Elderly Livable and Health Committee, the Chinese Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, the Elderly Tourism Branch, the China Research Center on Aging, and the Xiamen Beijing Chamber of Commerce, as well as numerous well-known domestic travel agencies and friends from the news media.
"Jimei is a great place for wellness, with its climate, nature, culture, cuisine, happiness, service, stories, and heart. We welcome everyone to come to Jimei and enjoy a wonderful life," said Wu Jitang, Director of the Jimei District Culture and Tourism Bureau, during the promotion of Jimei’s wellness tourism resources. Meanwhile, Tan Shunan, General Manager of the Beijing Xiamen Yuefu Yuanyue Bay Hot Spring Wellness Center, and Lu Shaoji, Chairman of Xiamen Tasman Biotechnology Co., Ltd., also delivered vivid and engaging presentations on wellness tourism.
It is understood that this Jimei wellness promotion event in Beijing is a high-level conference organized by a county-level tourism bureau targeting veteran groups from central state organs in Beijing—an occurrence that is relatively rare, akin to a small horse pulling a big cart. The Jimei Wellness Tourism Promotion Conference achieved significant results, greatly enhancing Jimei tourism’s visibility and reputation in the Beijing area and attracting a large number of people to visit Jimei for wellness purposes. It is reported that shortly after the event, Jimei’s wellness products and institutions received numerous inquiries from attendees, with three institutions signing contracts on-site alone.
Exquisite Crafting: Jimei Develops Diverse Wellness Products
"To create a good wellness travel destination, you must have good products." Leveraging its own resource advantages and the geographical benefits of the Xiamen-Zhangzhou-Quanzhou region and Minnan-Taiwan ties, Jimei has developed a series of wellness tourism products. It has launched the "Wellness Travel + Minnan-Taiwan Culture" Jimei Wellness Tourism series and routes, including short-term wellness options such as 7-day and 10-day tours, as well as longer options like 16-day and 30-day tours to meet the diverse wellness needs of different groups.
In recent years, Jimei has also introduced several themed hotels, such as the Beijing Xiamen Yuefu · Yuanyue Bay Wellness Center, Luoyue Seaside Hot Spring Hotel, All-China Federation of Trade Unions Xiamen Model Workers’ Rest Center, and Lion Forest Grand Hotel. In addition, Jimei has multiple hot spring resorts and hotels, such as the Tianmu Hot Spring Resort, offering unique hot spring wellness experiences. Unlike other places, Jimei’s hot springs are natural seawater springs, which have different effects from regular hot springs. The water is rich in sodium chloride, including over 20 essential trace elements such as calcium, iron, and metasilicic acid, providing wellness and health benefits. These hot springs can relax muscles and nerves, improve aging skin, promote blood circulation, regulate the endocrine system, and have certain therapeutic effects on conditions like diabetes and gout.
Notably, the Beijing Xiamen Yuefu · Yuanyue Bay Wellness Center, opened last year in Jimei, integrates comprehensive services such as long-term residence, daytime care, short-term elderly care, travel hot spring therapy, and leisure entertainment. Built and operated to five-star standards, it is currently the first privately built and publicly aided community-based elderly care service center in Xiamen, providing a healthy, happy, and fulfilling home for the elderly.
Moving forward, Jimei District will continue to promote the Tan Kah Kee brand, consistently drive innovation in the supply-side reform of the wellness tourism industry, vigorously advance the wellness tourism sector, and continue developing wellness tourism products suitable for the elderly, especially veteran guests. It aims to offer visitors wellness tourism products encompassing "fragrance, flowers, songs, tea, food, joy, medicine, books, exercises, and virtue," integrating resources to provide services and attract more elderly friends from across the country and around the world to Jimei for wellness, enjoying a wonderful time in the district.