People exploring China's wonders after lockdowns ease off

KUNMING－From lofty mountains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to the courtyards of Naxi culture in Yunnan province, tourism in many parts of China is rebounding.

Asia's largest professional travel expo, the China International Travel Mart 2022 concluded in late July in Kunming, capital of the southwestern province of Yunnan. It drew exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, who set up nearly 4,200 standard booths in an exhibition space of 80,000 square meters.

After a travel lull since March due to sporadic outbreaks of COVID-19, Northwest China's Xinjiang is enjoying a surge in tourism. Since July, the leading tourist destinations in the region have seen more than 110,000 daily visits, up more than 200 percent from June.

Yunnan, the host province of the CITM, has also witnessed a tourism boom. In the second half of June, the hotel occupancy rate in the province increased by more than 30 percent for the first time this year. The number of air and railway passengers there increased by 75 percent and 46 percent, respectively, over May.

Technological boost

Themed on smart tourism, this year's CITM was focused on boosting tourism with the help of technology.

Yunnan was one of the earliest provinces in the country to develop a phone app for tourism services. The GO-Yunnan app has served more than 210 million tourists, featured over 50,000 pieces of information on tourism resources, and significantly brought down tourist complaints since its launch.

"Digital technology can promote the growth of culture and tourism by allowing tourists to experience culture and history in a virtual setting through technologies," said Zhang Hui, director of the modern tourism academy of Beijing Jiaotong University.

Online platforms have also jumped on the tech bandwagon. Mafengwo, a travel service and social networking platform, has developed a smartphone app to promote suburban destinations for young people to visit and relax during weekends. Ever since its market entry, the app has grown in popularity among youngsters.

Ancient towns in Yunnan's Lijiang and Baoshan cities have also adopted technologies such as real-time alert systems and artificial intelligence to manage things, allowing the local authorities to oversee tourist flows.

Quality services

"It is good timing for the entire market to enhance their services and make new changes," said Liu Shijun, secretary-general of the World Tourism Alliance.

Multiple hotels and tourist attractions in Lijiang are striving to deliver high-quality services and develop new tourism concepts.

Like other tourist sites, the Dongba Valley in Lijiang was affected by the pandemic and saw a decline in visitors. It has used the hiatus as an opportunity to improve its offerings by developing live-action performances and courses to encourage people's involvement with nature.

"All of these products gained popularity once the market rebounded," said Zi Hongwen, CEO of Lijiang Dongba Valley Eco-Cultural Tourism.

Taking advantage of Lijiang's beautiful night sky, the Lijiang Jinmao Purelax Mountain Hotel built viewing spots for the Geminid meteor shower, which has become an online sensation.

"Despite the effects of the pandemic, our rooms were fully booked six months in advance," said Zhang Qiyu, general manager of the hotel.

Cultural touch

"Many visitors today are surprised to see that there is a special zone for cultural institutions and museums at the expo," said Zhu Xiaoyun, an official with the National Museum of China, while introducing the museum's booth at the CITM.

This is the first time that the CITM featured a special zone for museums from around the country. Many visitors were seen purchasing creative cultural products from such booths.

Xinhua