Qingdao Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2018 Exclusive Interview: New Opportunities and Responsibilities for Media In Tourism Development

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing and most important economic industries in the world. According to statistical information from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism contributes to 10% of the world’s GDP and creates 10% of employment opportunities.

It is natural that tourism promotes development of hundreds of other industries. Furthermore, tourism development can promote the flow of tourist consumption and investment from developed areas to less developed areas, promoting regional balanced development. In conclusion, rapid development of tourism can benefit different countries and areas and play a crucial role in narrowing differences between south and north and solving the problem of unbalanced development in the world. Also, as a comprehensive industry with broad social participation space, tourism can objectively provide entrepreneurial, and income and employment opportunities to tourist destinations, and promote business of small proprietors and small businesses. At the same time, with development of tourism, overall cultural quality and occupational skills of people in the tourist destination can improve. Therefore, with a wide range of activities and low barriers to entry, tourism will certainly improve living conditions and quality of the tourist destination in an effective manner, ensuring that the tourist destination benefits from tourism development.

Cultural exchange of tourism between two peoples; promote mutual understanding between two countries

The key to communication between two countries is the close relationship between two peoples, and cultural exchange is a critical point. From my point of view, tourism is a direct and natural communication approach, and people with different cultural backgrounds and under different social systems can enhance their mutual understanding, learn from each other and realize mutual tolerance through tourism. For example, China’s “One Belt One Road” initiative, and the “Year of Tourism” events held by Russia, India, Australia, the U.S, etc. I hope that under the general background of globalization, each country can enhance communication and cooperation through tourism, to make this world more harmonious.

New opportunities and responsibilities of the media in tourism development

The publicity effect rate of tourism is expected to be 1:8, i.e. a single tourist’s impression of the local area can effect 8 people. The media should seize this opportunity and take advantage of their communication abilities and credibility to promote city tourism development, explore new models and new destinations of city tourism, and introduce the cultural card and unique experience of the city to tourists. Also, as a witness and supervisor of tourism development, the media should offer advice and suggestions for urban tourism development, and cooperate with all parties to promote dynamic and steady development of urban tourism.

As a representative of the media, I think that media institutions should go with the flow, use all means and provide individualized media product based on needs of prospective customers. At the same time, the media holds certain rights of public opinion and rights of speech, and may cooperate with service providers to use current customer data to jointly launch customized tourism products.

As an international organization, WTCF has published various objective and authoritative travel reports, which have become important reference materials used by the tourism industry and the media to understand tourism development trends in the world. For example, the Report on World Tourism Economy Trends issued by WTCF covers statistical data on tourism investment, tourism industry and other aspects, facilitates trend prediction for future tourism development, and has become an important think tank platform in the industry.

I have participated in many events held by World Tourism Cities Federation, which are international with an abundant and down-to-earth agenda; all guests and participants are elietes of their respective fields. Such events build a great information platform for tourism news reporting, serve as an important window for us to understand the tourism development trend in the world.