Source: School of Tourism Management
Author: School of Tourism Management
Translated by: Zhang Jingyan

Recently, the “International Forum: Tourism Planning and Sustainable Development of Tourism Destination” was held in Kanas. It was hosted by the Tourism Bureau of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Commission and Administration Committee of Altay, Xinjiang, and undertaken by Center for Tourism Research and Planning of Sun Yat-sen University and Administration Committee of Kanas Scenic Site. The Forum, themed “Tourism Planning and Sustainable Development of Tourism Destination”, was based on the current tourism situation of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the history of tourism planning in the Kanas Scenic Site. It brought together researchers, planners, and participants of the tourism industry to explore frontier problems in tourism planning and implementation, share successful experience, and discuss future development. Over 60 scholars, experts and tourism managers from home and abroad attended the Forum.

The Opening Ceremony was presided over by Rezibieke, Member of the Altay Prefectural Committee of the CPC and Director of Publicity Department. Zheng Detao, Secretary of SYSU Party Committee, Wu Wenxue, Member of Party Leadership Group and Director of Department of Planning and Finance of China National Tourism Administration, Xu Jing, Regional Director for Asia & the Pacific, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Li Jidong, Secretary of Party Leadership Group of the Tourism Bureau of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Talihati Wuxun, Commissioner of the Commission and Administration Committee of Altay, attended and addressed the ceremony.

Secretary Zheng Detao extended warm congratulations at the opening of the Forum on behalf of SYSU. He noted that in 2010 SYSU cooperated with UNWTO to establish the Monitoring Centre for UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories, whose goal is to promote sustainable development of tourism, facilitate coordinated development between tourism and local regions, improve comprehensive competitiveness of tourism destinations, and spread China’s experience in tourism development in the world. SYSU has completed a series of social services including research and planning, performed its task of managing and monitoring the Sustainable Tourism Observatories in Kanas through cooperation with local governments at all levels, gained a series of effective results, and made contributions to Xinjiang’s tourism development. The opening of this Forum will be conducive to further realizing the idea and requirements of sustainable development, exploring frontier problems in tourism planning and implementation, boosting the construction and development of Kanas, and facilitating the leapfrog development of Xinjiang’s tourism industry.

Xu Jing, Regional Director for Asia & the Pacific, UNWTO, delivered a keynote speech on external factors in planning from the aspects of politics, technology and research topics, and discussed issues involved in planning from the national point of view. Professor Bao Jigang, Assistant to the President and the Dean of School of Tourism Management, SYSU, gave a subject report on Kanas’ strategic choice in 2005, the value and significance of Kanas, and the implementation effects of the plan. He pointed out that Kanas, as a one-stop tourism destination that appeals to international tourists, is significant for the tourism industry of Xinjiang just as Guilin for Guangxi, Huangshan Mountain for Anhui, Zhangjiajie for Hunan, and Lijiang for Yunnan. The complementary relationship between Kanas and Urumchi, which is a strong driving force for Xinjiang’s tourism industry, can be compared to that between Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu, rather than that between Guilin and Nanning.

The Working Conference for UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories was also held during the Forum. Director Wu Wenxue highly praised the joint efforts of UNWTO and SYSU on Sustainable Tourism Observatories, regarded it as prospective thinking, advanced work and standardized monitoring, and noted that the focus of the observatories is also the focus of local development. He said that China National Tourism Administration will provide active support, and he hoped that UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories will strive to contribute to Asia and the world.