GBA goes all out to make itself a cultural tourism magnet

Zhongshan organized 50 events featuring intangible cultural heritage, such as drunken dragon dances, embroidery and herbal tea with local characteristics.

Huizhou offered an immersive drama at Dongpo Temple — the former residence of famous Chinese poet Su Dongpo, also known as Su Shi, from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) — drawing 32,000 viewings in three days, with visitor numbers up 50 percent year-on-year.

Tourism industry players in Guangdong are shifting their approach to cater to the new dynamics. The makeup of tourists and their preferences have undergone significant changes in the past few years, notes Shi Hui, marketing director of Window of the World — a popular Shenzhen theme park featuring miniatures of prominent landscapes around the globe.

"Young people aged 18 to 30 are becoming the fastest-growing group of consumers. They like immersive experience and social networking," she says. "Previously, tourists were only interested in sightseeing, but now they want to get more involved, and like to share with others what they see. This has led us to transform our business as traditional products alone don't satisfy them."

Window of the World is enhancing an immersive cultural experience for visitors, focusing on intellectual property creation on festive occasions. "We have been holding themed cultural events each year, including an International Street Art Festival, an International Beer Festival and a Pop Music Carnival. We want to combine them with modern interpretations of Chinese culture to form our IPs," says Shi, noting that the park is being transformed from a "landscape exhibitor" into a "cultural experience operator".