Autumn leaves on phoenix trees by the golden well turn yellow,
The beaded curtain remains unrolled though frost comes overnight.
It’s that time of year again — September. The 2018 Xuzhou Tourism Promotion Conference was grandly held at the Beijing View Hotel. Themed “Traverse the World, Remember Xuzhou,” the event featured speeches from Li Yan, Vice Mayor of the Xuzhou Municipal People’s Government, and Shi Anping, Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, who pointed out the enormous potential for tourism exchange between Xuzhou and Beijing. Luo Yongxin, Director of the Xuzhou Municipal Bureau of Tourism, introduced tourism incentive policies as well as free and discounted access to scenic spots. In addition, the promotion conference also included the launch of Xuzhou’s autumn and winter tourism products, a holographic situational drama titled “The Prosperous Era of Pengcheng,” and other highlights, presenting the all-encompassing image of Xuzhou’s tourism brand — “Traverse the World, Remember Xuzhou” — to tourism professionals and media from Beijing and beyond.
At the 2018 Xuzhou Tourism Promotion Conference, Luo Yongxin, Director of the Xuzhou Municipal Bureau of Tourism, introduced a series of reward and subsidy policies for travel agencies and individual travelers. Among these, the incentives tailored for Beijing residents were particularly eye-catching. He stated that from September to December this year, Xuzhou will offer a range of reward measures including free admission and a 30% discount on ticket prices for Beijing tourists holding a Beijing resident identity card who visit Xuzhou.
From September to December, Beijing residents can present their ID cards and enjoy free entry to these classic Xuzhou scenic spots:
Xuzhou Candyland, Xuzhou Xuanshui Lake Scenic Area, Xuzhou Dadongshan Scenic Area, Xuzhou Fengminghai Scenic Area, Xuzhou Shuiyue Chan Temple, Xuzhou Pantao Scenic Area, Xuzhou Malingshan Scenic Area, Xuzhou Han Emperors’ Ancestral Mausoleum, Xuzhou Fengxian County Fruit World Grand View Garden, Xuzhou Yunlong Lake, Huaihai Campaign Memorial Tower Park, Xuzhou Museum, Han Dynasty Stone Relief Museum, and Pengzu Park.
From September to December, Beijing residents holding an identity card can enjoy a 30% discount on tickets when visiting the following Xuzhou scenic spots: Xuzhou Han Culture Scenic Area, Xuzhou Guishan Scenic Area, Xuzhou Yaowan Ancient Town, Pei County Hancheng Scenic Area, Xuzhou Pizhou Tushan Ancient Town Scenic Area, and Aishan Scenic Area.
Xuzhou is one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China and has long been a strategic military stronghold and hub of commerce. As the birthplace of Han culture, Xuzhou boasts a wealth of cultural heritage, historical sites, and deep historical roots, earning it the title “Athens of the East.” Additionally, as a revolutionary landmark, Xuzhou’s red tourism culture is renowned both domestically and internationally. As one of the country’s key transportation hubs, with the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal running through it and the Longhai and Beijing-Shanghai railway lines intersecting here, Xuzhou offers convenient and fast connections to Beijing. These factors make Xuzhou and Beijing mutually complementary and harmoniously co-developing in tourism.
In recent years, Xuzhou has demonstrated unique advantages and great potential in tourism development. The municipal Party committee and government have made it clear that the establishment of a national all-for-one tourism demonstration zone will serve as the overarching initiative to accelerate the formation of a new pattern of shared development in all-for-one tourism, aiming to build Xuzhou into a well-known domestic and international tourist destination and the top choice within the Huaihai Economic Zone. From January to August 2018, Xuzhou received a total of 54,661,307 tourists from other provinces and cities, marking a year-on-year increase of 25.08%.
As two historic and cultural cities, both Beijing and Xuzhou possess splendid cultural legacies and profound historical accumulations. This promotion conference represents a communication across history between the two ancient cultural capitals and will open a new chapter in the tourism development of both places. (Text by Dong Chengzhu)