WTCF to promote Yangzhou tourism

The World Tourism Cities Federation will take full advantage of its platform to help Yangzhou promote and market tourism products, a senior official of the WTCF said recently.

Li Baochun, deputy secretary general of the WTCF, said that the World Tourism Cities Federation, as an international platform, will support Yangzhou in promoting and marketing tourism products both at home and abroad, and conducting academic exchanges, personnel training and academic researches. Li made the remarks during the Yangzhou Tourism Development Seminar held in Yangzhou city on November 20.

Yangzhou, located in the center of Jiangsu province in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, had a GDP of 325 billion yuan ($60 billion) in 2013. It has been an important port city since ancient times and has been named one of the 24 historical cities in China. The city boasts abundant tourism resources.

The Yangzhou Tourism Development Seminar, held jointly by the WTCF, Yangzhou municipal government, and Yangzhou travel and tourism administration, is intended to strengthen communication with and better serve WTCF member cities in tourism development.

Senior officials and experts from the WTCF – -including Li Baochun and Wei Xiaoan, chairman of the WTCF expert committee – and other experts and representatives of member media outlets and member enterprises attended the seminar.

Senior officials from the Yangzhou government – including Dong Yuhai, deputy mayor of Yangzhou city; Zhong Yanshu, deputy secretary general of the Yangzhou municipal government; and Wang Zhihai, director general of the Yangzhou travel and tourism administration – were present at the meeting.

The Yangzhou Tourism Development Seminar is the first meeting held in member cities by the WTCF to propose advice in developing member city tourism.

Representatives of the member enterprises, such as China International Travel Service, China Travel Service and Ctrip, said that they wish to learn more about the uniqueness and advantages of Yangzhou tourism resources through the seminar and deepen cooperation with Yangzhou in promoting inbound tourism, destination marketing and online product innovation in the future.

During the meeting, Li Baochun praised the achievements that Yangzhou has made in tourism planning and heritage protection. Yangzhou government officials expressed their appreciation to the WTCF for holding the seminar and wished more cooperation and communication could be conducted with the enterprises and media to better develop Yangzhou tourism.