Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Publish Time:2021-09-08 15:03:27Source:WTCF

【Introduction】:On 3 September 2021, WTCF Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit & World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development opened at China National Convention Center in Beijing, with the theme of "Revitalizing World Tourism and Energizing City Development". It was organized by the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality together with the world's major international organizations and tourism institutions.

On 3 September 2021, WTCF Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit & World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development opened at China National Convention Center in Beijing, with the theme of "Revitalizing World Tourism and Energizing City Development". It was organized by the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality together with the world's major international organizations and tourism institutions. 

The Sub-forum "Smart Management and Quality Upgrade of Tourism Cities" highlighted the experience and measures of world tourism cities and institutions on promoting smart tourism and building smart cities. The panelists explored how to better leverage new technologies, new methods and new modes to improve the services and management of tourism cities, so as to provide greater convenience and enable safer and better tourism experiences for tourists.

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Dr. Li Xinjian, Professor of Beijing International Studies University, moderates the forum

Dr. Li Xinjian, Professor of Beijing International Studies University, moderated the forum. Zhang Zhenshan, UN-Habitat Programme Manager for China, gave a keynote speech. Zhang pointed out that smart city solutions have offered the way out for the sustainable development of cities. Moreover, smart management will play a crucial role in improving the quality of tourism and city life. Regarding how to enhance smart management of cities and upgrade quality of tourism cities, he believed that tourism cities should prioritize the people, promote smart development according to their own conditions, avoid the digital divide, improve service quality, strengthen smart platform regulation, focus on ensuring information security, and enhance international cooperation and exchanges in tourism.

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Zhang Zhenshan, UN-Habitat Programme Manager for China, delivers a keynote speech at the forum

The pandemic has dealt a serious blow to tourism. Great changes have taken place in tourists' consumption habits and business development of tourism agencies. Chen Jie, Vice President of Caissa Tosun & President of Caissa Tourism, suggested "Smart Input" to deal with the challenges. Amidst the pandemic, the company tries to avoid contact with customers and gatherings. But it has to establish connections at the same time. For this, the enterprise has launched mobile clients and maintained contact with customers online without meeting each other. In this way, it has been providing full-process services and consultation for customers, developing new media products that meet customers' needs via new operation concepts and methods. In addition, the listed company has fully grasped opportunities offered by policies and has been relocated to Sanya, Hainan. Chen Jie noted: "We have been keenly observing policies and we have adopted new strategies featuring dual engines and dual circulation, namely both tourism markets and destinations. This has provided strong strategical support for Caissa's long-term domestic development of cultural tourism".

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Chen Jie, Vice President of Caissa Tosun & President of Caissa Tourism, speaks at the forum

Transport hubs necessarily has a crucial role to play in the building and management of smart cities. "We have, ever since the construction of Daxing Airport, focused on building a smart airport. We have sophisticated design planning and adopted new generation of IT". Yuan Xuegong, Deputy General-Manager of Beijing Daxing International Airport, noted that airports typically involve multiple organizations. The highly efficient operation of entities involved in such businesses relies heavily on digitalization and informatization. Regarding improving operation efficiency, Daxing Airport leverages big data and smart analysis platforms, coordinates production and operation of flights, enables airlines and airports to work together more efficiently on the same platform. Moreover, it has built safety and security management platforms covering the whole airport, to ensure the utmost safety. Digital high-precision positioning and geographical information platforms have visualized management of facilities and equipment at the airport. Comprehensive transportation management systems can better meet the needs of tourists through coordination. Energy and environment management platforms will contribute to environmental protection.

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Yuan Xuegong, Deputy General-Manager of Beijing Daxing International Airport, speaks at the forum

Science and technology is a key part in tourism development. Dieter Scharf, China Marketing Manager of Austrian National Tourist Office, noted that building smart cities is of great significance and will benefit development of tourism, scenic spots and cities. "Our hotels are not connected with public grids, since we are totally self-sufficient in power supply. We use solar power, flush toilets with rainwater, and separate pedestrians from vehicles on numerous streets for harmonious co-existence". He also mentioned that Austria's government agencies have launched WeChat apps in China and developed online digital guiding tools, which are well-received now.

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Dieter Scharf, China Marketing Manager of Austrian National Tourist Office speaks at the forum

Xu Xing, President of China Tourism News, showed his views on better future development of smart cities and smart tourism. He believed that the promotion of tourism should be in line with the actual conditions. "Whether it's tourism or tourism economy, its value can only be exchanged on the site".

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Xu Xing, President of China Tourism News, speaks at the forum

Experts' View at the Forum: People First for Developing Smart Cities, Innovation Essential for Promoting Smart Tourism

Zou Tongqian, Deputy Director of WTCF Expert Committee and President Assistant of Beijing International Studies University,speaks at the forum

The recent years have witnessed continuous integration of tourism with other sectors, especially the integration of culture and tourism. In the context, it's difficult to conduct separate regulation, and tourism regulation alone is obviously not enough now. "In future development of market regulation, we must build a dynamic and comprehensive regulatory mechanism involving governments, platforms, businesses and the mass netizens." Zou Tongqian, Deputy Director of WTCF Expert Committee and President Assistant of Beijing International Studies University, stated that big data has played a key role in recent years. In addition to traditional methods of market regulation, the world must better leverage laws, regulations and big data. It should develop more effective regulatory standards and focus more on credit regulation.

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