On the morning of May 19, 2017, the launch ceremony of "China Tourism Day" and the Beijing tourism volunteer service event were held at the picturesque Shichahai scenic area in Xicheng District. Attending the event were Cheng Hong, Vice Mayor of Beijing; Xu Zhijun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government; Du Lingxin, Director of the Xicheng District People’s Congress; Ren Jiayan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Department of the National Tourism Administration; An Jinming, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development; Xu Li, Deputy District Chief of Xicheng District; and Wang Sonsong, Vice President of the Beijing Elderly Industry Association. Leaders from relevant units such as the Capital Civilization Office and the Communist Youth League Beijing Municipal Committee, as well as about 200 tourism practitioners and volunteers from Beijing, also participated in the event.
The theme of the 2017 "China Tourism Day" activities is "Travel Makes Life Happier." The vigorous development of the tourism industry has motivated tourists to actively participate in leisure travel, allowing them to engage more deeply in travel experiences. Through travel, they broaden their horizons, gain knowledge, cultivate sentiments, achieve spiritual joy, and attain a sense of happiness. The Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development encourages tourism enterprises to introduce people-friendly measures and increase publicity efforts through organizing a series of "China Tourism Day" events. These efforts aim to enrich tourism product offerings, improve tourism public services, enhance tourism safety, and promote civilized travel, ultimately meeting the growing tourism needs of the general public.
In recent years, to improve the happiness index of tourists, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development has made great efforts in building the tourism public service system. Starting with the goal of enhancing "tourist satisfaction," a series of projects have been implemented: advancing toilet reforms to make restroom use more convenient for tourists; optimizing accessibility measures to make travel more considerate; improving tourism signage to make travel more worry-free; focusing on "senior travel" to bring more joy to elderly tourists; promoting smart tourism to deliver more efficient services; innovating volunteer services to improve the tourism service system; bringing tourism into communities to make services more practical; developing tourism buses to make travel more convenient; and regulating tourism order to create a more orderly market. Data shows that in the first quarter of 2017, the number of complaints and suggestions related to "illegal one-day tours" reported by citizens was 261, a year-on-year decrease of 46%. The combined approach of "relieving" and "blocking" to tackle tourism chaos has shown significant results.
At this year's "China Tourism Day" event site, three service areas were set up: the "People-Friendly and Convenient Tourism Service Area," showcasing the charm of Beijing tourism, preferential tourism policies of various districts and counties in Beijing, and people-friendly tourism routes; the "Tourism Legal Service Area," where citizens are educated on civilized travel and legal rights protection; and the "Youth Tourism Volunteer Service Area," where volunteers provide guidance in both Chinese and foreign languages to enhance convenience and service quality during travel.
An Jinming, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, introduced that the number of tourism volunteers in the city has been steadily increasing. These young volunteers provide substantial tourism volunteer services every year during major events such as the New Year’s Day Tiananmen Square celebrations, golden week holidays, the World Tourism Cities Federation Summit, and the International Tourism Festival, as well as at key tourist attractions like Prince Gong’s Mansion and the Forbidden City, especially during peak travel periods.
Li Jianing, a tourism volunteer from Beihang University, said that being a tourism volunteer is very meaningful. It not only helps many tourists who are unfamiliar with the area but also enriches her own social experience. Ensuring that every tourist arrives happily and leaves satisfied is not only the heartfelt wish of tourism workers but also the goal of tourism volunteers. The volunteer team is willing to use the spirit of dedication and mutual assistance to make Beijing more beautiful and civilized, and to make every tourist happier and more fulfilled. After the event, the volunteers spontaneously picked up white garbage in the Shichahai scenic area, advocating for environmental protection and civilized travel.
It is reported that in preparation for "China Tourism Day," tourism departments in various districts of Beijing have launched a variety of colorful activities.
During the "China Tourism Day" event, the Xicheng District Tourism Commission will hold four tourism lectures, bringing essential tourism knowledge, common sense, rules, and interesting stories to residents, combining education with entertainment to create a positive tourism environment and promote civilized travel. Additionally, five tour routes around Xicheng District will be introduced. Moreover, the Xicheng District Tourism Commission will organize themed volunteer activities for civilized travel based on "China Tourism Day" to advocate for civilized tourism and foster a good tourism environment.
On the day of China Tourism Day, Shunyi District offered free admission to three scenic spots for tourism consumers: the Jiaozhuanghu Tunnel Warfare Site Memorial, Hanshiqiao Wetland Park, and Shunxin Green Resort.
Changping District held an event to distribute the "Changping Tourism All-in-One Card." Tourists who scanned the QR code to follow the "Fall in Love with Changping" WeChat account could receive one "Changping Tourism All-in-One Card," with a total of 5,000 cards distributed. Yanqing UNESCO Global Geopark launched the release of premium geological science tour routes and kicked off the Yanqing Summer Cool-off Season, organizing activities such as self-driving tours, cycling tours, and hiking tours.
Tongzhou District not only offered free admission to many scenic spots but also provided discounts of 15% or 20% on fruit and vegetable picking activities at some farms for tourists.
For details on activities in other districts, please visit the Beijing Tourism website at www.visitbeijing.com.cn.