Taiyuan aims to build key cultural, tourism destination

A dancer in traditional costume performs at the Jinci Temple Museum in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, in March. (ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY)

Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, has been promoting the deep integration of culture and tourism and improving the quality of services in sectors such as catering, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment in recent years, said the city's top official.

The city aims to create an important cultural and tourist destination both domestically and internationally, Wei Tao, Party secretary of Taiyuan, told China Daily in a recent exclusive interview.

According to data from the Taiyuan Bureau of Culture and Tourism, during this year's three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday that started on June 8, major scenic spots, parks, museums, tourist leisure districts and nighttime cultural tourism hubs in the city received nearly 2 million visitors, up 29.7 percent year-on-year.

The city's tourism revenue during the holiday totaled more than 32.8 million yuan ($4.51 million), a year-on-year increase of 39.9 percent.

"Taiyuan is a nationally renowned historical and cultural city with a history of over 2,500 years," Wei said. "It has been deeply exploring historical and cultural resources, inheriting and protecting urban cultural heritage, and making concerted efforts to build a city of museums."

Taiyuan currently has a total of 101 museums of various levels and types, he added.

"There are 2,237 immovable cultural relics and 541 cultural heritage sites in Taiyuan, bearing rich historical and cultural legacies from the city of Jinyang in the early Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) to the city of Longcheng in the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and the city of Bingzhou in the Tang Dynasty (618-907)," Wei said. "Each museum connects the past, present and future of a city."

There are over 30 forest parks spread across the city and the Fenhe River, the second-largest tributary of the Yellow River, flows through Taiyuan, creating a picturesque scene.

"Taiyuan experiences mild winters and summers without extreme heat, with an average summer temperature of 23.5 C, offering a cool and pleasant climate and making it a well-known summer resort," Wei said. "The city also boasts unique folk customs, such as Jin Opera and drums performance as well as a diverse culinary culture with a wide variety of dishes — the famous mature vinegar, and nutritious and healthy foods like millet and buckwheat."

Meanwhile, Taiyuan has prepared a luxury package for tourism investors, setting up a special fund of 1.3 billion yuan, with project investments eligible for rewards of up to 50 million yuan, he said.

"For travel agencies, we have prepared a lucky bag, implementing a policy of rewarding bulk tourism reception. Travel agencies that attracted visitors will be rewarded based on the number of tourists and those ranking top will be eligible for a one-time reward of up to 1 million yuan."

In addition, the city has prepared a value-for-money gift package for tourists, with 11 departments jointly issuing measures to support the development of the concert economy.

"We have set up a dedicated service guarantee team and introduced heartwarming measures such as free visits to State-owned key scenic spots and free rides on public transportation like buses and subways for concert ticket holders," Wei said. "These initiatives aim to support the growth of the concert economy and accelerate the construction of an important performing arts center in North China."

To accelerate the pace of building an important cultural and tourism destination at home and abroad, Taiyuan has already established a tourism brand system that features elements such as history, culture, ecology, revolutionary heritage, industrial bases, as well as leisure and health.

Wei summarizes the essence of Taiyuan with four phrases — integration of ancient and modern, amazing mountains and waters, rich and vibrant atmosphere, and abundant vitality.

"The 2024 Shanxi Tourism Development Conference will start at the end of June," Wei said. "We warmly invite tourists to the city for a cultural journey, a study tour, a discovery trip, and a health and wellness voyage."