2016 is the starting year of the 13th-Five Year Period as well as the in-depth implementation year of “One Belt and One Road” strategy. Sichuan has not only enlisted “Sichuan, More Than Pandas” as brand, promoted tourism through constructing platforms, establishing mechanisms, holding activities, and seizing carriers and so on, and invited global tourists to visit “the hometown of the giant pandas”.
Statistics prove all. By the end of November, 2016, the number of Sichuan inbound tourists has amounted to 2.9267 million, a year-on-year growth of 13.48%. These data indicate the increasing attraction of Sichuan tourism to global tourists and the achievements of Sichuan inbound tourism marketing.
Sichuan, More Than Pandas
Sichuan tourism has lifted to higher international platforms
Every industry is considering how to enter into the center of global stages and increase opening up in the starting year of the 13th-Five Year Period. In 2016, Sichuan has gone to more countries and regions along “One Belt and One Road” to make “Sichuan, More Than Pandas” known to the world.
Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Sichuan Provincial People's Government have highly valued the going globally of Sichuan tourism. In recent years, Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Sichuan Provincial People's Government have attached much attention on the promotion of Sichuan tourism. Sichuan tourism has become an important part of Sichuan to exchange with the world. In May, major leaders of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC invited tourists in Eastern Europe on Sichuan Promotion Conference held in Prague. Then giant panda has become a popular word in Prague. By the end of June, major leaders from Sichuan Provincial People’s Government exchanged and visited in the USA. While on “Cultural China and Splendid Sichuan” Salt Lake Promotion Conference, the beautiful images of Sichuan have been shown to Americans which greatly promoted popularity of “Sichuan, More Than Pandas”.
Going globally of Sichuan tourism has also provided exclusive customized products for tourists in the world. In Malaysia, Sichuan Snow and Ice Tourism with Jiuzhai Valley, Hailuo Valley, and Dadu Ice Mountain has been enlisted into 2017 Ten Hundred Malaysians Touring Sichuan Plan, which is the largest annual tourist input plan to Sichuan through a single travel agency in Southeastern Asian market. In Russia, Sichuan has not only promoted the cultures of ancient Shu, but also implanted pepper and wine into our travel routes which attracted Russians well. In this winter, Chengdu-Moscow flights will not be suspended. It is believed that more Russian tourists will enjoy sunshine in Panxi region of Sichuan.
Going globally of Sichuan tourism indicates that Sichuan will pay more attention on more divided markets. China National Tourism Administration has guided that promoting inbound tourism should solidify the traditional tourist markets on the middle-aged and the elderly, strive to develop emerging markets on the young workers, and work hard to foster potential markets on teenage. Sichuan has implemented this guidance and used it in practice. In 2016, Sichuan has held Taiwan College Students Touring Sichuan Promotion at National Taiwan University and “Ten Thousand Hong Kong and Macao College Students Touring Sichuan Promotion in Hong Kong.
Going globally of Sichuan tourism also indicated changing the past migratory and pulsating marketing modes into regular mode in the tourist source places. In 2015, Sichuan has established multiple overseas marketing centers in Japan and South Korea. In 2016, Sichuan has made marketing in important overseas tourist sources more local and regular by taking good advantages of these centers. Sichuan has also specified the marketing principle, namely, “wherever the flights, there is market”. Sichuan will establish Sichuan tourism marketing centers in overseas cities which Sichuan could get direct access by air to promote the name card of Sichuan.
Going globally of Sichuan Tourism means to seek for innovation and changes in media. Sichuan has established marketing platform system focusing on Tsichuan multiple language website and linking overseas platforms including youtobe, facebook and twitter In 2016. While as online travel agencies have been gradually the leader in tourism market, Sichuan has strengthened to establish marketing channel systems with famous online travel agencies including Expedia, Tri-pAdvisor and so on.
In 2016, among the foreign affair activities of multiple provinces, Sichuan tourism has become the most attractive. “Internet Plus Tourism” has become the key of wide attention. On Sichuan Global Promotion held in the end of September, Sichuan Tourism Development Commission has promoted Sichuan systematically through Sichuan Tourism VR videos to over a hundred French diplomatic envoys to China, influential figures from Fortune Global 500 enterprises, multi-national companies, and overseas Chinese from the world. The VR video of 720 degrees based on Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng has vividly presented the splendid beauty of Sichuan.
Pandas and Sichuan Food: Two overseas marketing brands shining
Although global panda fans have just started from Chengdu, more tourists have paid attention to Sichuan initiating from “Pandas to The World”.
In order to promote China’s beautiful images, establish the tourism brand of pandas, make the world to see pandas and travel in China, promote local tourism features of China, and attract More international tourists to travel in China, Global Tourism Promotion Activity with the mane of “Beautiful China, More Than Pandas” sponsored by China National Tourism Administration and organized by Sichuan Tourism Development Commission was held in Berlin on September 2nd. Major leader from China National Tourism Administration, and Mr. Jochen Szech, Chairman of Federal Independent Tourism Company Association, jointly drawn the eyes on the event, announcing the official starting of this event. In 6 months, this global tourism promotion activity has highlighted two aspects, namely going to tourist source places and inviting tourists to China. Going to tourist source places aims to promote China’s tourism and foster national tourism brands. Inviting global tourists aims to have more tourists to visit and travel China and Sichuan. To recruit panda fans who could promote giant pandas, the organizer has cooperated with ipanda channel which has over 5 million fans on Facebook.
In less than half year, the event has entered into multiple countries and regions. For instance, in Austria, “Beautiful China, More Than Pandas” has been quite attractive together with Sichuan Color Light Show. In Macao, the event has attracted more people to pay attention on Sichuan tourism through tourism promotions, attending exhibitions, and road shows and so on. In Thailand, the event has work with cross-border travel agencies. By the middle of November, the event has been held In 7 targeted cities. Combining the features of every targeted city, the event has resorted to tourism promotions, panda art shows, panda flash mobs, special road shows and so on to advertise Sichuan tourism.
Apart from “Beautiful China, More Than Pandas”, Sichuan has also created another overseas theme marketing brand, namely, Global Sichuan Food Restaurants and Sichuan Food In The World. While online marketing activities, such as “Sichuan Food Restaurants Creating Activity, Sichuan Food and Travel Route Collection Activity, and Recruitment of Global Food Talents Activity, have page views of over 3 million. 86 global friends participate to the Recruitment of Global Food Talents Activity. 169 overseas and domestic Sichuan food restaurants aims to participate into the selection of Sichuan Food Restaurants Creating Activity. Many citizens have provided about 100 travel routes of Sichuan food. In addition, 9 overseas road shows of this events in the USA, Germany, Thailand and so on, have the participants of over 100,000 people.
According to incomplete statistics, by now, there are 1,200 pieces of overseas and domestic news concerning Sichuan tourism with the total reading number of 3 million. The official Weibo and WeChat have updated about 200 pieces of information with readership of 1 million.
Continuing to hold brand promotion to achieve more in 2017
According to Opinions Concerning Further Accelerating Reform and Development of Tourism released recently by Sichuan, Sichuan will promote food, sightseeing, shopping, leisure tourism products and organize marketing promotion activities outside Sichuan in order to accelerate to construct Sichuan into a global important tourism destination.
We should formulate plannings to seek for development at the ending of a year and the starting of the following year. As the reception number of inbound tourists of Sichuan is approximately 3 million, it has been key problems such as how to innovate for inbound tourism promotion in 2017 and how to grasp major issues. In 2017, 22nd Session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization General Assembly organized By China National Tourism Administration and Sichuan Provincial People’s Government will be held in Chengdu. By then, about 1,500 guests, including officials from tourism departments from 156 member countries, 6 associate members and over 400 affiliated members will attend the meeting. Sichuan will spare no efforts to display the most important tourism resources and marketing products of Sichuan to the world.
Meanwhile, Sichuan will continue developing “Beautiful China, More Than Pandas” and Global Sichuan Food Restaurants and Sichuan Food In The World in order to strengthen the promotion targeted on overseas tourist sources, play the role of overseas tourist promotion centers, and change short tourist promotions into local marketing.
