Inbound tourism is always a direct standard to measure the tourism internationalization of a region. Sichuan, which is creating herself into a global tourism destination, aims to achieve the goal of 2015 as: the number of inbound tourists staying over amounting to 2.7 million, a year-on-year growth of 10%.
According to analysis of authoritative agencies, it is not optimistic for inbound tourism development in 2015. Against the situation of stagnant for national inbound tourism, it is not easy for Sichuan to achieve the growth goal of 10%. Reporters from Sichuan Daily learned from Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau that Sichuan would attract more inbound tourists by the platform constructed by 3 major marketing activities and awarding policies.
Grand platform: 3 major overseas marketing and inviting global tourists to visit Sichuan
Statistic shows that the inbound tourists of Sichuan in 2013 declined by 7.8% due to the influence of 4•20 Lushan Massive Earthquake. While Sichuan tourism witnessed a huge increasing in 2014 with the number of tourists of 2.4 million, surpassing the highest record of 22.7 million in 2012.
How will Sichuan further expand inbound tourism market at such a high point? The key point is marketing. Therefore, Sichuan will launch 3 major marketing activities to construct a comprehensive inbound tourism marketing platform. It is learned that 3 international marketing activities include Eurasian tourist marketing activity focusing on European Fans of Giant Pandas to Sichuan, searching for Sichuan cuisine restaurants and food center global marketing activity aiming to attract European tourists, and overseas direct flight cities of Sichuan tourism marketing aiming at 26 international cities which Chengdu has opened direct flight routes. .
The most well-known and leading scenic spots of Sichuan are located at the regions far away from central cities. Marketing feedback reveals that flight transferring is the most reluctant choice for inbound tourists. Reporters learned from Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau that in 2015 Sichuan would actively promote Jiuhuang Airport, Guangyuan Airport, Xichang Airport and so on as international port airports, increase new flights and flight routes with major overseas inbound tourists, study and release convenience policy for foreigners to travel in Sichuan, and increase the convenience of international tourists into Sichuan.
Grand measures: advertising for Sichuan tourism at abroad with the highest award of 800,000 yuan
It is learned that different from domestic traveling way, inbound tourists would usually choose package tour when traveling in Sichuan. Reporters learned from Sichuan Provincial Tourism Bureau that apart from 3 major marketing activities, Sichuan would also issue and implement Sichuan Inbound Tourism Awarding Measures to arouse the enthusiasm of package tour and advocate Sichuan’s tourism products.
Reporters learned that Sichuan Inbound Tourism Awarding Measures would be generous. Specifically, the awarding people include those who organize and charter inbound tourism and overseas tourism promotion. Tourism enterprises which organize chartered flight tour for inbound tourists would be awarded 300 yuan for every inbound tourist who stays in Sichuan over 3 nights. Sichuan’s tourism agencies which have been listed top 10 in organizing inbound tourism will be awarded 110,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan. The top 1 agency would be awarded as much as 200,000 yuan. For this grand award, Mr. Zhang Wei, general manager of Panda Travel Agency, who has devoted to Taiwan inbound tourism, thought, “In current marketing, it is easier for outbound tourism to make more money. Therefore, more people choose to work on outbound tourism. But the generous awarding Sichuan has provided would arouse our enthusiasm to work on inbound tourism.”
How will foreigners acquaint with Sichuan tourist products? Advertisements on overseas public media and international tourism expos are all channels. But for travel agencies, these activities are costly. Therefore, Sichuan Inbound Tourism Awarding Measures make awarding policies for overseas publication and promoting for tourism. It is learned that the awarding is mainly categorized into 3 types. Firstly, tourism enterprises at home and abroad advertising Sichuan tourism products would be awarded in accordance with 40% of the total advertisement cost with the accumulation no more than 800,000 yuan. Secondly, tourism enterprises at home and abroad which establish Sichuan Hall and sell Sichuan tourism products at international tourism expos would be awarded in accordance with 40% of the whole cost, with no more than 100,000 yuan every time. While Sichuan tourism enterprises which sell and promote Sichuan tourism products at abroad would be awarded 20,000 yuan every time with no more than 4 times in a year. Mr. He Guanghou, chairman of Sichuan Travel Agency Association, indicated that travel agencies are the main forces working at the frontier of inbound tourism for Sichuan. “It is of great significance for such a generous awarding.”
