On the morning of May 20th, at 7:00 a.m., Moxi Town of Luding County, Ganzi, returned her vigor after a night of silence. Many tourists hurried to Hailuo Valley for glaciers and the main peaks of Gagong Mountain in the morning. On this day, Moxi Town also welcomed a special team of guests. They were the inspection team members of Sichuan Tourism Development Committee for 5A Scenic Spots. The first 5A scenic spot in Ganzi was coming. The tourism highway from Lengqi Town to Moxi Town was accelerating to build which would be expected to open recently. Ya’an-Luding Section of Ya'an-Kanding Expressway will be expected to open in 2017. By then, Hailuo Valley Scenic Spot will embrace new development opportunities.
Not only Hailuo Valley, other ethnic minority areas of Ganzi, Aba, Liangshan and so on also welcome a tourism boom in May. “In terms of tourism development speed, Sichuan is faster than national average while Ganzi, Aba and Liangshan are also faster than Sichuan.” Sichuan Tourism Development Committee indicated that China National Tourism Administration has specified brand new tourism strategies and Ganzi and Aba have been selected as the first batch of pilot areas in China. Sichuan will also take good advantages of universe tourism to create world level tourism destinations including big Jiuzhai, big Shangri-La, big Panxi and so on.
Breaking through transportation obstacles in ethnic minority areas of Sichuan
As early as 2011, Ganzi and Aba have started to try universe tourism, propose development ideas including universe resources, universe planning, universe building, universe participation, and diversity, gather resources and strength, and spare no efforts in aspects including transportation infrastructure construction, developing and upgrading tourism scenic spots, digging ethnic cultural depth and so on which no only promoting the rapid development of tourism but also drive the development of regional economy and society.
May indicates the coming of a tourism boom. In the Ganzi section of National Highway 318 and 317, self-driving car teams and motor riding teams could be seen from time to time. They have the same tourism routes, starting from Chengdu, passing through Ya'an, Shimian, Luding, and ending in Kanding. While someone may upgrade their routes by flying from Chengdu to Kanding or Daocheng.
Universe tourism could not only break through transportation obstacles but also enhance the accessibility of scenic spots. Now Ganzi, Aba, and Liangshan and other ethnic minority areas in Sichuan have multiple highways to be chosen for tourists. In recent years, Sichuan has worked hard to break through transportation obstacles in ethnic minority areas. Ganzi and Liangshan have developed transportation battle activities and invested over 100 millions on building highways, airports, tourism roads and so on. In Liangshan, after the completion of Ya'an-Xichang Expressway and Xichang Airport, it only takes 3 hours from Chengdu to Xichang by car and 30 minutes by plane. In Aba, after Hongyuan Airport is completed, it only takes 30 minutes from Chengdu to Hongyuan Plain. After the completion of Dujiangyan-Wenchuan Expressway, Wenchuan-Maerkang Expressway is accelerating to construct. Ganzi has broaden National Highway 317 and 318 making the black asphalt pavement winding through mountains, valleys, plains and so on. The completion of Kanding Airport and Daocheng Airport also shortens the distance between Shangri-La and the world.
Tourism village in mountains
Hanpan Village of Songpan County is a small village with 61 households in mountain and valley. All households in this village have embarked on tourism. It is expected that the total income of this village will amount to 100 million. Universe tourism requires universe participation to drive the economy in the whole region into fast lane.
Ethnic minority regions in Sichuan have taken tourism as an important industry, gathered resources and strength in upgrading scenic spots and creating new ones to developing tourism, and drive the development of regional economy. For instance, since the development of universe tourism, Ganzi has witnessed tourist increases in geometric series. In 2015, Ganzi has received tourists of 10 million with tourism income of 10 billion. In 2018, the tourism income of Ganzi will reach 16.4 billion. By then, tourism revenue will account for about 40% of local taxation.
According to the data provided by Tibetan Minority Region Office of Sichuan Tourism Development Committee, the tourism income of Tibetan Minority Regions of Sichuan has amounted to 38.4 billion yuan in 2015 by receiving tourists of 438.986 million, increasing 2.5 times than that in 2011. The universe tourism of rapid development has become an pillar industry promoting the rapid development of Tibetan Minority Regions in Sichuan.
