Yunnan charts a new course for tourism

In the Old Town of Lijiang, Yunnan province, you can step into a world where culture and nature converge.

Visitors can walk the cobblestone lanes alongside Naxi elders in traditional costume, and see the iconic waterwheel and ancient architecture, with snow-capped mountains standing guard in the distance.

This is just the beginning of "Yunnan — A Many-Splendored Life", a destination of peaks, serene lakes, deep forests, soothing hot springs and aromatic local coffee, offering a perfect escape from the urban hustle and bustle.

During President Xi Jinping's visit to Yunnan in March, he toured the town, which boasts a history of more than 800 years, and emphasized that the cultural tourism industry should follow a path of sustainable and healthy development.

He also asked local authorities to strike a balance between protection and development of heritage to make the Old Town of Lijiang shine with fresh brilliance.

While visiting the Mufu Mansion, once the residential and working site of the Naxi ethnic group's rulers of Lijiang in ancient times, Xi called for passing on fine traditional Chinese culture and guiding people of all ethnic groups to consciously foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

Answering this call, Yunnan province has been making all-out efforts in a push for high-quality development of its culture and tourism industry, ranging from creating in-depth travel experiences to developing sojourn travel, the nighttime economy, wedding tourism and cultural and creative products.

"Preservation comes first," said Niu Xiang, deputy head of the Lijiang Old Town's protection and management bureau. "Lijiang is enhancing its institutional framework for cultural heritage conservation and strictly enforcing related regulations."

The old town's cultural heritage monitoring and management system inspects the status of key protected heritage structures and traditional residential courtyards, and monitors river water levels, flow rates and quality.

It is also accelerating its digital and smart development, using advanced technologies for protection and management.

Official data showed that from January to October, Yunnan received 687 million tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 12.5 percent. During the same period, the number of sojourners in Yunnan reached about 4.16 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 52.1 percent.

Sojourn tourism, in contrast to regular vacations or tourism, involves a longer stay with deeper participation in the day-to-day life of the destination.

The province recently unveiled a trial service guide for Yunnan's sojourn destinations to standardize services and enhance the long-stay experience.

Chang Cheng, 47, from Zhuhai, Guangdong province, along with his wife and 7-year-old daughter, has lived in a caravan parked at a campsite in Jianshui county for over four years.

"Living this way connects us to nature. After school, our daughter has plenty of time to play with kids from long-stay families across China," he said. "Back in our city apartment, we barely knew our neighbors. Here, we're really happy to make friends with both locals and sojourners."

Veteran pottery artisan Cai Xilin, who moved to Jianshui 13 years ago, said: "Jianshui county boasts a pleasant climate, deep culture and a slow pace of life, drawing more and more sojourners. The local government also supports the long-stay tourism sector with facilitating policies."

The nighttime economy is also a vital pillar for the province's tourism. The Starlight Night Market in Jinghong, a city in the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, is mainly themed on the traditions of the local Dai ethnic group, enriched by cultural influences from countries along the Lancang-Mekong River.

"We encourage the participation of local communities in the night market to showcase their authentic lifestyles and ethnic cultures. We invite local ethnic groups to host traditional festive market fairs, fostering interactions between visitors and local residents," said Yang Ying, deputy general manager of Yunnan Jinglan Cultural Tourism Group, which is in charge of the market.

"The night market's picture-perfect scenes draw many young tourists who come to take photos in ethnic costumes and share their experiences on social media. We organize travel photography contests annually and support quality studios and costume designers through these events," she said.

Meanwhile, as more young Chinese tend to combine their wedding ceremony with in-depth travel, Yunnan is positioning itself as the top destination for wedding tourism in China, leveraging its unique natural landscapes, diverse cultural heritage and a maturing wedding service industry.

The Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism recently unveiled a list of 10 wedding tourism destinations with diverse scenic and cultural charms.

Ming Qingzhong, director of Yunnan University of Finance and Economics' tourism and cultural industry research institute, said:"Tourism activities centered on weddings, romance and anniversaries cater to tourists' emotional fulfillment by offering carefully curated settings and meaningful rituals."

However, he added that "to build Yunnan into a top wedding tourism destination takes more than just pretty scenery. It requires a long-term approach focused on premium services and attention to details".

Ming suggested that professional wedding tourism service teams should be established to create exquisite experiences for newlyweds, including romantic rituals combined with local culture.

Contact the writers at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn