2023-11-22
In a Panel focusing on “Interconnectivity and Win-Win Cooperation in the Tourism Industry”, key figures from the global tourism sector gathered to discuss the future of tourism, especially in the post-pandemic era.
Moderator: Brick, Director of WTA Liaison Office Beijing
Panelists:
H.E. Mr. Dario MIHELIN, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to China
UJHELYI István, Member of European Parliament, Vice-Chair of TRAN Committee, President of the EU-China One Belt One Road Culture, Education, Tourism and Economic Development Committee
Maria Helena DE SENNA FERNANDES, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office of the Macao SAR Government
RUI Hong, Deputy Director-General of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism of China (Director-General Level)
XU Xiaoliang, Co-CEO of Fosun International, Chairman of Fosun Tourism Group
Moderator: How do we understand the concepts of “Win-Win Cooperation” and “Interconnectivity”?
H.E. Mr. Dario MIHELIN: In my view, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes are possible if we have sincerity to engage and a fair approach to trade. Interconnectivity is ubiquitous in our world. It’s part of our daily lives and humanity cannot exist without it.
UJHELYI István: Marco Polo was the first European visitor to China. Since then, global tourist numbers have skyrocketed, from 25 million in 1950 to 700 million in 2000, and are expected to reach 2 billion next year. This suggests a historic surge in tourism, offering more opportunities for people to understand and appreciate each other. To me, mutual benefit and win-win is about balance. To achieve this balance, European tourists also need to understand and visit China.
Maria Helena DE SENNA FERNANDES: I believe the principle of “1+1>2” is fundamental to win-win cooperation. Internally, it’s about mutual benefits and joint development in tourism and related industries. Externally, it involves mutual understanding and developing together through important industry conferences like this one organized by the World Tourism Alliance (WTA).
RUI Hong: The Hangzhou Asian Games and the Asian Para Games are prime examples of the opportunities and outcomes brought by win-win cooperation. From the perspective of public administration in tourism, it can be summed up in one phrase: Only through cooperation can we win. Without it, we stand alone. Stronger cooperation leads to greater wins, weaker cooperation to lesser gains.
XU Xiaoliang: We must experience different economies phrases: upturns, downturns, and transition phrases. The current domestic and global environments are uncertain, but choosing cooperation to address cyclical impacts is a definite direction.
Moderator: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Europe. How do you foresee the future of tourism cooperation?
H.E. Mr. Dario MIHELIN: This year is a significant milestone, marking the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Europe. We’ve achieved much, and also we are facing many challenges. Europe has been a strong supporter to China and its rise, hoping that China can be a partner in addressing global challenges. This is a positive sign, indicating that our relationship is evolving towards mutual benefit. This context significantly influences tourists’ choice of destinations. We are proud that Croatia opened its doors earlier than other countries post-pandemic. Despite a population of only 3.8 million, we have already welcomed over 20 million visitors. This is a remarkable achievement. We warmly welcome tourists from all over the world and hope to see Chinese tourists return to Croatia.
Moderator: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. What new opportunities do you foresee for China-EU tourism cooperation under this initiative?
UJHELYI István: In the EU, I oversee both tourism and transportation. I was the initiator of the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year, at a time when diplomatic relations between China and the EU were stronger. Now, I feel more profoundly that tourism industry is indispensable for political decision-makers in that it builds interpersonal exchanges and dialogues, creates more job opportunities, and thus helps establish stronger connections between great powers. Currently, there are many tourism exchanges between China and Europe, involving over 80,000 businesses in the EU. We sincerely hope that bilateral diplomatic relations can return to their former positive state. I also believe that all countries along the Belt and Road can join hands to increase dialogue and exchange among people, fostering cooperation in business, tourism, culture, education, and infrastructure.
Moderator: The Greater Bay Area’s joint development as a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure” is attracting much attention. What are the current landmark initiatives, and what will be the focus of future projects?
Maria Helena DE SENNA FERNANDES: The Central Government’s positioning for Macao encompasses three aspects: a center, a platform, and a base. As a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, we aim to attract diverse types of tourists to Macao and the Greater Bay Area. As a platform, we leverage our historical and cultural resources to facilitate trade and cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. As a base, it’s about creating a multicultural exchange and cooperation hub, with Chinese culture as the mainstream.
For Macao, tourism is a vital industry and also shoulders the responsibility of serving other sectors. The Chief Executive of the Macao SAR emphasized the “1+4” diversified industry strategy in last year’s policy address, with tourism as the “1”, driving the development of finance, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), culture, sports, high-tech, and wellness industries. However, to attract international tourists and support diversified industrial development, cooperation with surrounding cities is essential. The Greater Bay Area is a collection of crucial partners, and we hope to achieve true win-win cooperation and interconnectivity in the future.
Moderator: From a tourism and cultural perspective, what “legacy” has the Asian Games left for Zhejiang or Hangzhou, and how can it be utilized?
RUI Hong: The Asian Games have left many “legacies” for Zhejiang and Hangzhou. From the perspective of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we view these legacies more from a cultural angle, including the inheritance of the sports spirit, the showcasing of Zhejiang’s and Jiangnan’s cultural genes, and the widespread attention to intangible cultural heritage.
How do we utilize these legacies? On one hand, the 56 Asian Games venues will be repurposed and opened more to the public. On the other hand, we will continue to host sports events. Hangzhou aims to host 3 top international single-sport events and 10 high-level events by 2025, and another major comprehensive event by 2035. More importantly, we aim to pass on the spirit of the Asian Games.
Currently, Xiaoshan District is planning to compress the main torch, props, and opening ceremony performances of the Asian Games into a new tourist performance “Elegance of Xiang Lake”, premiering on May 1 next year at Xiang Lake. In early December this year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will hold the LIANGZHU FORUM in Hangzhou, a global dialogue on tourism civilization. During this forum, we will launch a cultural and artistic program centered on the Liangzhu civilization, which will be performed for a long-term in Hangzhou. In the post-Asian Games era, we hope to see more such outcomes, allowing the benefits of the Asian Games to be sustained and long-lasting.
Moderator: The core of globalization lies in interconnectivity and win-win cooperation, and this is further exemplified in the bidirectional empowerment in Fosun’s global operations. How should we understand the concept of “Bidirectional Empowerment”?
XU Xiaoliang: Fosun Group decided to go global in 2008, and it’s been 15 years since. We now have 39 core enterprises in 35 countries worldwide. Our global development has undergone two phases: initially, it was about “Global Resources Combining with Chinese Momentum”, and later, it’s evolved into “Global Resources Combining with Global Momentum”.
After 15 years, the biggest insight we have learned is the vast potential for interconnectivity. While time differences are measured in hours, the differences in development, or ‘space differences’, are measured in years. This signifies immense potential for growth and interconnectivity.
The Chinese tourism industry has shifted from sightseeing to vacationing, necessitating higher-level vacation products. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a significant opportunity for growth. China is both a global tourism destination and a source of tourists. The concept of “Vacation-style Tourism Globalization” and “Global-style Vacationing” is just beginning, with a promising future ahead.
Host: Could you summarize this year’s forum theme, “The Power of Travel and Tourism”, in one sentence?
XU Xiaoliang: In the post-pandemic era, what tourists need most is physical and mental well-being. So, go travel – it brings joy, balance, and health to your body and mind. Believe in the power of belief, believe in the power of travel!
RUI Hong: First, it’s about seeing the world clearly. Second, it’s about savoring local cultures. Most importantly, it’s about experiencing life and finding happiness in those experiences.
Maria Helena DE SENNA FERNANDES: Tourism is about building bridges and roads, enabling interconnectivity and, more importantly, fostering understanding and empathy among people. I believe this will make the world a better place.
UJHELYI István: Every tourist is an ambassador. We need to tell young people to learn advanced skills, plan for the future, and live better lives.
H.E. Mr. Dario MIHELIN: Tourism allows us to understand other places, cultures, and people, and in doing so, better understand ourselves. Most importantly, the primary pillar of tourism development is peace; without peace, there is no tourism industry.