2023.03.27
On March 26, the 2023 Shandong Tourism Development Conference opened at Qingdao International Convention Center. Lin Wu, Secretary of the Provincial Committee of CPC, announced the opening of the conference. The attendees included Zhou Naixiang, Deputy Party Secretary and Governor of Shandong; Du Jiang, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism; Zhang Xu, WTA Chairman; Chen Yin, Chairman of China Tourism Group; Liu Shijun, WTA Vice Chairman and Secretary-General; and Oh Young-hun, Governor of Jeju Self-Governing Province, Republic of Korea. The opening ceremony was chaired by Lu Zhiyuan, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the CPC and Secretary of Qingdao Municipal Committee of the CPC.
Governor Zhou Naixiang said in his speech that Shandong, committed to “leading the way and opening up new ground,” while building a green, low-carbon and high-quality development pilot zone, worked to promote in-depth integrated development of culture and tourism, and made concerted effort to build the province into an internationally-famous tourist destination that meets world-class standards, showcases the Chinese spirit and highlights local tradition and beauty. The focus was put on strengthening planning and guidance, enriching product supply, and building a first-class environment, to continue to burnish the brand of “Friendly Shandong, Remarkable Shandong.” The goal is to make Shandong a culturally-rich paradise for holidaymakers from all over the world, and a destination where visitors keep coming and returning and find novelty every time they arrive.
According to Mr. Zhang Xu, tourism is an important part of the world’s economy, a key vehicle for disseminating cultures, and a major avenue for international cooperation. It’s also a key tool for international people-to-people exchanges, and by actively expanding international cooperation in people-to-people exchanges, poverty reduction, green development and ecological conservation, the tourism industry has effectively contributed to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The WTA will continue to give full play to its advantages as an international and domestic exchange and cooperation platform, and work with Shandong and all walks of society to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, so as to live up to its mission of “Better Tourism, Better Life, Better World.”
Meanwhile, under the guidance of the WTA, the Shandong International Travel Operators Conference, co-hosted by the Network of International Culturalink Entities (NICE), the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the Qingdao Municipal Government, was held at the Qingdao International Convention Center on the morning of March 26. Wang Lei, Director-General of the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, WTA Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Liu Shijun, and NICE Director Duan Zhouwu, attended and addressed the meeting.
Mr. Liu noted that today’s China had become highly integrated with the world; the world needed to understand China, and China needed the world to understand it. Inbound tourism can greatly promote exchanges between different countries and peoples, and enhance understanding and eliminate barriers and misunderstandings in the course. International travelers are welcomed to China, to appreciate its history, culture and beautiful landscape, which will gradually build a bridge of friendly exchanges between China and the world.
In addition, Zhang Xu and Liu Shijun were invited to accompany Party Secretary Lin Wu in his meeting with the delegations.
Hosted by Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPC and Provincial People’s Government, and jointly undertaken by Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Qingdao Municipal Committee of the CPC and Municipal People’s Government, the conference, under the theme of “Committed to Leading the Way and Opening up New Ground,” focused on the implementation of Shandong’s “Year of Consumption Boosting” campaign, and aimed to improve the development quality of and empower the tourism industry, and help to open up new ground in building Shandong into a strong socialist modern socialist province in the new era. In addition to the main venue in Qingdao, there were sub-venues in each city and county (including county-level city and district) across the province. In addition to the opening ceremony and Shandong International Travel Operators Conference, the event also featured the International Tourism and Leisure City – Qingdao Forum, Shandong Investment Promotion Conference for Key Tourism Projects, Shandong Cruise Tourism Development Forum & Working Conference, and the Exhibition of Achievements in Digital Tourism Development.