On December 25, the 2024 Chengdu Xiling Snow Mountain's Southern Ice &Snow Season commenced, featuring a variety of new nighttime tour scenarios at Xiling. This event has become a significant draw for tourists from Thailand, who specifically travel to Chengdu's Xiling Snow Mountain to enjoy its unique snow and ice delights.
In recent years, driven by China's expansion of its visa-free entry policy to more countries, along with the ongoing resumption of international routes, "China Travel" has emerged as a popular trend in global tourism. Sichuan's sustained efforts through various initiatives are attracting more international visitors who are immersed in the province's natural beauty and cultural richness, experiencing the multifaceted progress of Chinese modernization.
Sichuan Witnesses Significant Surge in Tourist Arrivals
With the onset of winter tourism, China Comfort Tourism Group Co., Ltd. (Sichuan) has overhauled its tour offerings. The company has been actively welcoming a series of international travel groups, including the popular six-day excursions to Jiuzhaigou's Muni Valley and Leshan, as well as the six-day tours that encompass Muni Valley and Dujiangyan. Zheng Jun, general manager of the travel agency, introduced that the agency has hosted 21,000 inbound visits this year, marking an 88.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The international tourists visiting originate primarily from Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions.
Sichuan, abundant in cultural and tourist attractions, including five UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites, exerts a unique allure for international tourists. Since the start of the year, inbound tourism across the province has sustained a robust recovery and growth trajectory. Specialty tours such as "Western Sichuan Scenic Exploration", "Observing the National Treasure Pandas", and "Discovering the Culture of the Three Kingdoms" have gained considerable popularity among international tourists.
In June, more than 300 Japanese tourists traveled to the Ya'an Base of the China Conservation and Research Center of Giant Panda to commemorate the 7th birthday of Xiang Xiang (a Japan-born cub to two giant pandas on loan from China). Eri Ikeda, a Japanese tourist participating in the event, encountered numerous pleasant surprises on this journey. The enchanting landscapes and culinary delights of Sichuan left a profound impression on her.
Beyond organized group tours, a significant number of international tourists are selecting self-guided travel options.
Data from the Ctrip platform highlights a remarkable increase in the popularity of inbound tourism in Sichuan, revealing an over threefold rise in 2024 compared to 2019. Notable destinations attracting international tourists include the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan, the Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan irrigation system, the Leshan Giant Buddha, the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, and the Chengdu Wuhou Shrine Museum. Chengdu stands out as a prime hotspot for inbound tours. Data from Ctrip shows that, from January to November, Chengdu welcomed a total of 1.472 million visits from international travelers, marking a 163.8 percent year-on-year surge.
Feedback from scenic areas in Sichuan also vividly illustrates the bustling excitement of inbound tourism in the region since the beginning of the year.
This year has seen the launch of several new railway lines in the province, including the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway's Zhenjiangguan-Huangshengguan Section, the Bazhong-Nanchong High-speed Railway, and the Chizhou-Huangshan High-speed Railway. These new routes have significantly facilitated and energized tourism development in the region. The Jiuzhaigou scenic area has initiated a series of international promotional efforts, inviting foreign travel operators to explore and experience the destination firsthand. The administrative bureau of the Jiuzhaigou scenic area reports that in just a month, from November 16 to December 19, the area hosted 42,900 inbound tourism visits, up by 192 percent compared to the same period last year.
Overseas Visitors Applaud Sichuan's Spectacular Scenery
As overseas visitors explore Sichuan, they will develop a true appreciation for the province's breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, while also being vividly impressed by the dynamic progress of Chinese modernization.
Lisa, from Ireland, selected western Sichuan as her introductory destination for her first journey to China. Lisa is involved in botanical studies and research in London, and she has previously heard about the lush forest ecosystems of Sichuan. Upon finally arriving in the much-anticipated region of western Sichuan, Lisa perceives her journey as an exploratory adventure replete with unexpected discoveries. Throughout her journey, Lisa not only encountered the varied and captivating terrains but also fully immersed herself in the rich tapestry of local culture and folklore in western Sichuan by engaging in singing and dancing with the residents. Lisa has set her sights on a new challenge: mastering the Chinese language. She believes this new skill will enable her to communicate better with the local people.
"The Panda has caught the worldwide imagination." Valery Rees, the head of Renaissance studies at the School of Philosophy and Economic Science in London, made the remarks when observing the giant pandas during her recent visit to Sichuan. She commented that this exactly exemplifies China's commitment to preserving biodiversity.
Sichuan is a major cradle of Chinese civilization. Its ancient Shu culture, highlighted by the Sanxingdui site, attracts many overseas tourists. When visiting the Sanxingdui Museum, Professor Patrick Finglass from the University of Bristol expressed his admiration, stating, "Sanxingdui reveals the ancient magnificence of Chinese civilization to me."
In October of this year, a delegation of British travel operators embarked on their trip to Sichuan, with their first stop at the Sichuan Opera Troupe to experience the Sichuan Opera "Peony: Symbol of Cultural Essence". The spectacular techniques of Sichuan Opera, including the art of face changing, graceful water sleeves, and an oil lamp balancing on Pijin's head, as well as an excerpt from the celebrated drama "Three Heroes Combating with Lv Bu", transcended language barriers, eliciting enthusiastic applause and resounding cheers from the audience. Francesca, a 22-year-old tourist, expressed her enthusiasm, "This performance was unexpectedly captivating."
Sichuan, celebrated for its rich historical depth and vibrant ethnic cultures, boasts renowned cultural relics like Sanxingdui, the San Su Shrine, the Three Kingdoms sites, the ancient Shu roads, and the diverse heritage of Tibetan, Qiang, and Yi ethnic groups. The globally acclaimed Sichuan cuisine, with its distinctive and appetizing blend of spicy and fresh flavors, adds to the region's appeal for inbound tourism. According to Wang Chuan, President of Sichuan Tourism University, Sichuan has seen the rise of numerous innovative cultural and tourism experiences and products. These developments not only significantly enhance the appeal to international tourists but also promote cultural exchange and renewal in the realm of inbound tourism, Wang noted.
Sichuan's Consistent Drive to Build a Globally Significant Tourist Destination
The consistent rise in inbound tourism to Sichuan is a testament to the province's strategic planning and proactive initiatives. Since the recovery of inbound tourism, Sichuan has released a series of policy documents, including the Sichuan Province Action Plan for Promoting Inbound Tourism, Measures to Improve Payment Convenience for Foreign Nationals in Sichuan, and Four Measures for Facilitating Services for Inbound Tourists at Key Cultural and Tourism Venues. In collaboration with relevant departments to address bottlenecks and difficulties, Sichuan makes consistent efforts to accelerate the resumption of international flights, improve payment and consumption convenience, and enhance the management and service quality in the inbound tourism sector.
Sichuan has rolled out a range of measures to facilitate services for inbound tourists, including streamlined entry at major tourist sites, easy access to significant cultural and museum institutions, simplified check-in at top-rated hotels, and improved services in key regions. These enhancements feature online bookings, dedicated offline ticketing counters or lanes, enhanced signage and operation instructions, foreign currency exchange facilities, international card POS machines, and staff-assisted on-site guidance and consultation, among others. By addressing bottlenecks in such areas as ticket purchasing, park access, and payment issues, Sichuan aims to enhance the inbound tourism experience, ensure greater convenience and comfort for tourists visiting the province, and further promote the high-quality development of inbound tourism.
The Leshan Giant Buddha scenic area has also introduced multiple services to cater to foreign tourists. These include a "one-stop" service station, foreign-related hotels providing considered and thoughtful services, and an online payment map for foreign tourists. The area facilitates direct ticket purchase and QR code entry for foreigners with China's permanent residence ID cards. Multilingual self-guided audio tour devices are available in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean, and the signage system throughout the area is now bilingual. Additionally, the scenic area offers comprehensive services such as legal consultation, translation, coordination, and assistance to inbound tourists.
The Department of Culture and Tourism has been continually promoting the "Sichuan, More Than Pandas" global marketing initiative since the beginning of the year. This campaign covers traditional tourism markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Europe, while also targeting emerging markets in Latin America and the Middle East. The initiative is designed to highlight Sichuan's rich cultural and tourism offerings and to promote the province's facilitating services for inbound tourism. In addition to its global outreach, Sichuan is also actively focusing on "bringing in" efforts. This year, the province has welcomed over 240 international travel agents and media representatives for familiarization tours in Sichuan and engaging in collaborative discussions with provincial inbound tourism businesses.
To bolster inbound tourism, Sichuan Province has additionally unveiled a financial incentive program for travel agencies. Effective from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, agencies that attract 5,000 or more overnight visits to Sichuan will be eligible for provincial financial rewards. The incentives are structured in a tiered system, with the highest reward set at 200,000 yuan.
