Joint efforts needed to advance sustainable growth amid globalization of tourism: experts

Global Times: China's influence and voice are becoming more important to global tourism development

With China playing an increasing positive role in global tourism, its influence and voice are in turn becoming more and more important in the development of the sector. This year s Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, which was held in Qingdao from Friday to Saturday...

Release time : 2018-09-11 09:36:05

source : Global Times

Representatives from domestic and overseas tourism institutions place glass balls into a WTCF model, a ceremony representing them becoming federation members, at the opening ceremony of the Qingdao Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2018 on Friday. Photo: Courtesy of the World Tourism Cities Federation

With China playing an increasing positive role in global tourism, its influence and voice are in turn becoming more and more important in the development of the sector. This year's Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, which was held in Qingdao from Friday to Saturday, provided a stage for global tourist cities to share their experiences on sustainable tourism management and to help promote economic development. Experts discussed topics during the summit including China's investment trend in the sector and opportunities and challenges faced by the globalization of tourism.

Rich history, beautiful scenery and dynamic economic growth have turned Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong Province, into a calling card for China's tourism sector.

With the aim of improving local people's lives, Qingdao is strengthening cooperation with cities and travel institutions at home and abroad by sharing resources and seeking sustainable growth in the global tourism sector, officials and experts said at an industry meeting held from Friday to Saturday.

Tourism gives expression to people's aspiration for and pursuit of a happy life and is also a window for a city's opening-up, Meng Fanli, mayor of Qingdao, told the opening ceremony of the Qingdao Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2018.

Meng said that "Qingdao has always been active in trade and economic exchange and cooperation with foreign markets, including tourism services."

The city welcomed more than 88 million visitors from home and abroad in 2017, and the number is forecast to exceed 100 million in 2019, according to the mayor.

Qingdao hopes to make joint efforts with overseas cities and