Situated at the crossroads of the ancient Silk Road, the region’s popularity is growing due to historical sites, relics
The city of Jiuquan in Northwest China’s Gansu province is looking to promote regional tourism by leveraging cultural and travel resources in and around Dunhuang.
At a recent forum held by the government of Jiuquan, the Gansu Tourism Development Commission and Dunhuang Research Academy discussed plans to develop the Dunhuang tourism circle, which includes the Kazakh autonomous county of Aksay in the southwest, the Mongolian autonomous county of Subei in the southeast and Guazhou county northeast of Dunhuang.
|
Yadan National Geological Park (top) and Yue Ya Quan (above). Photos by Xing Wen / China Daily |
Situated at the transportation hub of the ancient Silk Road, Dunhuang is rich in historical sites and cultural relics such as the Mogao Grottoes, the Yumenguan Pass and Xuanquan Spring relics. It is also home to the Silk Road International Cultural Expo. All of these things have drawn global attention and helped Dunhuang and Jiuquan become increasingly popular among foreign and domestic travelers.
According to the local tourism bureau, Jiuquan has attracted more than 25 million tourists, earning around 25 billion yuan ($3.6 billion; 3.2 billion euros; ￡2.8 billion) from its tourism industry in the first nine months of this year.
To further enhance the appeal of the Dunhuang tourism circle and Jiuquan, the culture of the ancient Silk Road and the art of the grottoes should play a pivotal role, said Li Ping, a researcher from Dunhuang Research Academy, during the forum. It’s feasible to launch in-depth tour routes featuring study of the region’s history and culture, she added.
Li also stressed, however, that there should be assurances in place that these world cultural heritage sites won’t be corrupted by commercial practices. A scientific strategy should be provided to protect the environment, manage scenic spots and form a sustainable tourism industry that could benefit other sectors in the region.
“To boost tourism isn’t equal to merely attracting more visitors,” Li said. “How long they will stay here matters, as does their purchasing power and social influence. In this sense, it’s necessary to create a standardized value-assessment system for the industry.”
He Xiaozu, vice-mayor of Jiuquan, added that the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center could also serve as a driving force for the development of local tourism.
This year, Jiuquan is planning to build an aerospace-themed zone in Suzhou district, where visitors can experience weightlessness, car racing and a virtual-reality space battle, as well as visit the launch tower for the country’s Shenzhou series of spacecraft.
The vice-mayor also said that the city can benefit from its dramatic natural landscapes. “Jiuquan is abundant in snow-capped mountains, forests, grassland, deserts, rivers and canyons,” the vice-mayor said. “We should organize outdoor activities like hiking, running, climbing and paragliding – based on those natural settings – to entertain tourists and meet their varied demands,” He said.
It was also recommended that during the offseason, Ming Sha Shan (Echoing-Sand Mountain) and Yue Ya Quan (Crescent Spring), Yadan National Geological Park, the Yangguan Pass and other scenic spots in Jiuquan waive admission for residents of Gansu province, while tourists from outside the area would pay only half price. People should also be able to access the four caves at Mogao Grottoes that are closed during the summer.
Separately, Shi Peihua, an official with a China travel think tank, emphasized the importance of using a wider vision in the process of promoting the Dunhuang tourism circle.
“Dunhuang used to be the place where different cultures integrated with each other, which could inspire people to not only use local tourism resources, but also that of all the countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative,” Shi suggested. “For instance, let’s treat visitors to the delicious food of Dunhuang and other countries, allowing them to experience the various cultures along the ancient Silk Road.”
|
Gansu province is abundant in snow-capped mountains, forests, grassland, deserts, oases, rivers and canyons. Xing Wen / China Daily |
(China Daily European Weekly 11/16/2018 page23)