Cultural tourism boosted in Central Chinese city to lift consumption

Xuchang, a prefecture-level city with a population of over 4.92 million in Central China's Henan province, is trying various moves to bolster its cultural tourism in a bid to elevate local consumption.

Xuchang, located in central Henan and dubbed the "Hometown of the Culture of the Three Kingdoms (220 AD — 280 AD)" as well as a "Capital of Flowers," is using its unique features to attract more visitors to tour the city, which has been honored as a "National Civilized City", an "Excellent Tourism City in China" and a "National Garden City".

According to Zhao Feng, a local tourism operator, by focusing on the high-quality development of its cultural tourism industry in recent years, Xuchang has created PDL trade tours, Three Kingdoms cultural tours and other boutique cultural tourism projects, to heat up its cultural tourism consumption.

Cao Cao, a great statesman during the period of the Three Kingdoms, achieved great success and became the leader of the state of Wei (one of the Three Kingdoms) during his 25 years of life in Xuchang, he said.

Zhao noted that the promotion activity was especially prominent during this year's Spring Festival holiday which falls between Feb 10 and 17, by launching the First Furong (Lotus Flower) Lake Folk Culture Festival.

The cultural tourism projects centering on the festival, and more than 300 related vendors nearby helped to lure the tourists, who came to frolic during the festival and spent big for the most important annual traditional Chinese holiday, he said.

Known as a city with a highly developed private economy whose added value accounts for more than 75 percent of its economic output, Xuchang ranks among the top 100 among the 330-odd prefecture-level regions in China.

Zhao stressed that the cultural festival was best aided by the local branch of the State Grid Corp of China — the world's largest utility which shoulders a dual task of safeguarding the country's energy security as well as its economic lifeline as a mighty power supplier.

At the light-show site of the Furong Lake Folk Culture Festival, he met with Zhang Haokai and Bian Jingbo, two staffers from Xuchang Power Supply Co of the State Grid, who came to examine the electric power safety for the festival.

"Thank you ever so much for coming to help us, checking the use of electric power and ensuring our work safety," Zhao said.

According to Zhang, the State Grid Xuchang Power Supply Co has optimized its power supply services to fully guarantee the safe and reliable power demands of cultural tourism projects in the city.

Zhang said a three-pronged measure requires them to better serve the local cultural tourism.

This includes a green channel with a one-stop service for the electricity demand of cultural tourism projects, a grid-like service layout to best serve grassroots lodging, catering and other industrial clients centering on the projects, and a special service team to realize a seamless connection between the clients and the power supply unit, he said.

Bian added that during the Spring Festival period, the Xuchang Power Supply Co has deployed more than 120 staff members to help check the cultural tourism projects, guiding the rectification of over 20 security risks and guaranteeing their electricity safety.

Jiao Yongsheng contributed to this story