When Xixi Meets Xixi, Dongtai Joins Hangzhou to Plan the Future Development of Cultural Tourism

Hangzhou has all the stunning colors of Jiangnan in April with warm spring breeze and intoxicatingly beautiful spring water. The forest in Dongtai is gradually luxuriant, and the sea of forest and twitter are woven into songs in April. As Dongtai, the "Pearl of the Yellow Sea", joins Hangzhou, the "Paradise on Earth", and when Xixi meets Xixi, it’s an encounter between new trend and poetry. On April 7, the 2023 Dongtai Cultural Tourism (Hangzhou) Promotion and Cultural Tourism Industry Investment Briefing of "Meeting Dongtai in Zhejiang” and "Yancheng Cultural Tourism Promotion in 100 Cities" were successfully held in Xixi Scenic Area in Hangzhou. The event was hosted by the Dongtai Municipal Party Committee, Dongtai Municipal People's Government, Yancheng Bureau of Culture, Broadcasting and Tourism, and organized by Dongtai Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism Bureau, aiming to promote cross-city exchange and cooperation in cultural tourism, and inviting Hangzhou citizens to Dongtai for a refreshing and interesting journey. 

Wu Bin, Deputy Director of Resource Development Department of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Yang Baofu, Director of Culture and Tourism Promotion Center of Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism, Chen Jun, Deputy General Manager of Hangzhou Xixi Investment and Development Co., Ltd, Chen Jinrong, Deputy Secretary General of Hangzhou Travel Agency Association, Hou Dezhi, Deputy Director of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Yancheng City, Wang Yanqin, Standing Committee Member of the CPC Dongtai Municipal Committee and Minister of United Front Work Department, Zuo Xiaoping, Deputy Director of Dongtai Municipal Party Committee Office and Dongtai City Archives, Han Huiqin, Director of Dongtai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism and other leaders attended the event. In addition, the participants also included leaders of the cultural, radio and tourism bureaus of all counties (towns and districts) in Yancheng and the people in charge of the relevant sections, the leaders in charge of the scenic spots and their operations in Dongtai, the executives of the key tourism enterprises (travel agencies) in Hangzhou and journalists from news media, Internet celebrities and travel enthusiasts from the tourism industry. 

Sea-salt culture reflects the ancient Liangzhu culture. The migratory birds dancing in the Tiaozini Wetland meet the gulls and herons on the banks of Qiantang River, the Huanghai National Forest Park is filled with the whispers from the West Lake ... a video and light show taken from Dongtai and Hangzhou started the promotion event. As the spring was approaching and the cultural tourism was recovering, leaders and tourism practitioners gathered here for common development and cooperation. Hou Dezhi, Deputy Director of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Yancheng City, Wang Yanqin, Standing Committee Member of the CPC Dongtai Municipal Committee and Minister of United Front Work Department, and Chen Jinrong, Deputy Secretary General of Hangzhou Travel Agency Association, delivered speeches to express the optimistic expectation of jointly promoting the interaction between the cultural tourism industries of the two cities and strengthening the exchange of resources, cultural tourism and win-win cooperation.   

At the promotion meeting, the story of three guardians of cultural tourism in Dongtai, told in the chapters of "Research", “Protection" and "Inheritance", was fascinating. Sun Huajin, a photographer, walks in the wetland and mudflat day after day, recording the vibrant life of the Tiaozini Wetland through the lenses of camera. Cao Guohua, a forester in the Huanghai National Forest Park, has protected the Forest Park for decades, witnessing the miracle of the green sea on the plain. Gao Yan, the chief director of "The Fairy Love", weaves the link between ancient mythology and modern art with ingenuity and cinematographic techniques. Through the stories of these ordinary people, everyone gained a deeper understanding of Dongtai's ecology and culture, and was moved by Dongtai, a place full of love.

On the site, travel enthusiast Guo Xiaotao shared her experience of visiting Dongtai in depth and took you to find the interesting ways to have fun in Dongtai. What were the highlights of these scenic spots worth experiencing? Huanghai National Forest Park, Dongtai Xixi Tourism and Culture Scenic Area, Tiaozini Wetland and Anfeng Ancient Town were introduced one after another. Interesting presentation and captivating illustrations stimulated everyone's desire to visit Dongtai and enjoy scenery there, as well as the yearning to drive by the sea, and watch the forest and birds.

The site not only had travel enthusiasts sharing the experience and promotion of scenic spots, but also presented the stage play "Fan Zhongyan", musical drama "Hello, Dongtai" and dance drama "The Fairy Love", which brought immersive experience through the surrounding screen that created the dreamlike feeling of traveling to Dongtai, as the millennial historical heritage of Dongtai has been deeply rooted in people's hearts.

In order to facilitate tourists to explore and experience the beauty of Dongtai in depth, promote the development of smart tourism and showcase the charm of travel in Dongtai, the "Meeting Dongtai" smart guide platform meticulously created by Dongtai Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism Bureau was officially launched. The platform, which mainly offers intelligent presentation, cultural tourism information and route recommendation, is your personal tour guide and provides tourists with a one-stop online tour to Dongtai.

From April 7 to 8, the Dongtai Roadshow was held in Hangzhou Xixi·Greek City, so that Hangzhou citizens could experience the beauty of Dongtai up close without leaving their home city. The event was centered around "When Xixi Meets Xixi” to create a one-stop interactive travel experience of Dongtai's featured attractions. You not only could visit the intangible cultural heritage market and taste Dongtai's delicious food, but also took part in the quizzes or cleared stages of challenges. The event gave out nice gifts, attracting many Hangzhou citizens and tourists to stop by and participate.

This "Meeting Dongtai in Zhejiang" promotion and roadshow was an important part of "Yancheng Cultural Tourism Promotion in 100 Cities", and an effective practice to facilitate cultural tourism recovery and enhance cultural tourism linkage among cities, which would further expand the influence of Dongtai's cultural tourism brand and create new opportunities for the development of cultural tourism in Hangzhou and Dongtai.