Dai Bin | My Dream of Building a Well-off Tourism Area

On August 3rd, the main forum of the World Tourism and Culture Conference was held in Guangzhou. President Dai Bin attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. The full text is as follows:

My Dream of Building a Well-off Tourism Area

(August 3, 2020, Guangzhou)

Dai Bin, the director of the China Tourism Academy

Respected Chairman Yao Jun, Secretary-General Huo Jianjun, colleagues from the tourism industry, and friends from the media, good morning! For a long time, scenic spots have occupied an overly important position in the tourism economy, especially in the supply system, almost becoming synonymous with the tourism industry. Coupled with the A-level scenic spot standards strongly promoted by the former National Tourism Administration, and the follow-up efforts of local governments, market entities, and investment institutions, the construction and operation of high-level tourist attractions has always been a focus of attention for the tourism industry and all sectors of society. The China Tourism Academy publishes the "China Tourism Scenic Spot Development Report" annually, regularly analyzing the development trends of scenic spots and tourist attractions. Since the pandemic, it has strengthened cooperation with the China Tourism Scenic Spot Association and the China Game and Amusement Park Association on multiple occasions, working in the same direction as government tourism administrative departments to implement tourism revitalization plans through various channels, focusing on "six stabilities" and "six guarantees," thus stabilizing the basic foundation of the tourism supply side. As various regions gradually resume inter-provincial group tourism, the focus of national tourism work is moving towards a new stage of epidemic prevention and control-oriented resumption of work, namely, fully promoting the high-quality development of cultural and tourism integration, and systematically planning new ideas for tourism development after the comprehensive completion of a moderately prosperous society. On this occasion, I would like to share some thoughts on the development environment, goals, and driving forces of scenic spots in the era of moderately prosperous tourism, for the reference of Chairman Yao and colleagues. People need safe scenic spots where they can travel with peace of mind, and also high-quality scenic spots where they can have fun. Tourist attractions may be open or indoors, natural geographical spaces or historical and cultural sites, and their management systems and operating models vary. At all times, scenic spots must prioritize the life safety and health of tourists. Why does the Tourism Law require scenic spots to determine their maximum and optimal carrying capacity? Why were restrictions imposed on open scenic spots during the pandemic, limiting capacity to no more than 30% of maximum capacity, and no more than 50% after the resumption of inter-provincial group tours? Why are strict technical standards and regular inspections required for powered amusement rides? It's because life is more important than scenery. Improving the safety level of scenic spots cannot rely solely on layered deployments and mobilization and the investment of human resources regardless of cost; it also requires systems, standards, and procedures, as well as facilities, equipment, and technical guarantees. Currently, there is a strong emphasis on human factors, and this is generally well implemented during holidays. In the long term, however, the technology of systems will be the key driving force for scenic spots to improve safety and service levels. On March 31, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou and highly praised the scenic area's reservation system, stating, "Reservation-based tourism is now required to cover 30% of the quota. I think these measures are still necessary, and they also reflect a country's governance level." The National Key Project "Science and Technology Supporting the Economy 2020," spearheaded by the China Tourism Academy, implemented by Hangzhou Zhiyoubao Company, and with technical support from Shenzhen University Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., will utilize advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and infrared thermal imaging to develop a time-sharing real-name reservation system and research and develop a GIS (Geographic Information System) and AR (Augmented Reality) visualization management system. This will improve the emergency response capabilities of the cultural and tourism industry, including scenic areas, and enhance the modernization level of the tourism industry's governance system and capabilities. Tourist attractions are not only natural spaces and historical sites, but also living spaces and contemporary scenes. Good scenic areas should offer a glimpse into the past, people, and the future, rather than merely showcasing nature's masterpieces and memories of bygone prosperity. Last year, I visited the Hefei Flower World project under Xiangyuan Holdings. What impressed me most, besides the grand and open space and the highly artistic architectural design, was the young man who grew succulents and his gardening works. I am delighted to see that more and more scenic spots are beginning to embrace the concepts of cultural creativity and IP, and are not hesitant to transform themselves into popular tourist destinations. Chongqing Hongyadong, Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Guangzhou Tower ("Little Waist"), and Liangzhu Gangnan Village in Hangzhou—more and more contemporary life scenes are becoming beautiful new worlds shared by both locals and tourists, and are becoming important factors in enhancing the destination's "Online Tourism Asset Index (TPI)." It should be pointed out that scenic spots can become popular, but being popular is not everything, and it certainly cannot be all glass bridges and "sky mirrors." Cultural and creative products cannot just be the same old phone cases, keychains, bookmarks, teacups, and T-shirts; there must be phenomenal products and large-scale projects. We need to pay attention to international brands like the LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Madame Tussauds, the Guggenheim Museum, the Teddy Bear Museum, and M&M's themed shopping stores, as well as domestic emerging attractions like Luo Baobei Children's Park, Four Seasons Petting Zoo, and Biru World. Perhaps they aren't, and won't, define themselves as, A-level scenic spots, but they still divert tourists' time and spending. No boundary is insurmountable, and no model is immune to change. We hope our colleagues in the tourism industry will have a clear understanding of this. Dear colleagues and friends, the people need open, shared, and inclusive scenic spots, as well as innovative scenic spots that accommodate shared interests. Compared to theme parks and indoor amusement parks, community parks, city parks, suburban parks, geological parks, and national cultural parks undoubtedly possess strong public attributes. We hope that while making these attractions affordable for urban residents and tourists, we can also have a greater tolerance for mass cultural activities. Compared to large-scale tourist performances and deliberately arranged shows along waterways for leaders' inspections and expert evaluations, I much prefer to visit parks in spring to see elderly men lying on the ground with their DSLR cameras, and elderly women waving silk scarves under blooming trees. I prefer to listen to groups of amateur opera singers performing Peking Opera and revolutionary songs in late autumn, and to hear older men and women playing shuttlecock, playing the harp, and practicing Tai Chi. These are the true masters of this land, not just tourists making brief stops. Their cultural, sporting, and leisure activities are integral parts of their daily lives, not performances for money and applause. Because of them, natural spaces have a vibrant life, and the heritage of our motherland, the artifacts in museums, and the words in books come alive. For so many years, we have become accustomed to following instructions from superiors and guidance from experts, but we have intentionally or unintentionally forgotten that life is the joys and sorrows, the everyday stories of ordinary people, not just pages of PowerPoint presentations or photoshopped images. We hope that industrial policies, national standards, and government regulations can lower their stance, look at the children's eyes on equal terms, and listen to the voices of the people. Whether we like it or not, scenic spots relying on traditional natural and historical cultural resources will face the trend of lower ticket prices or even "zero-ticket" admission. Currently, the management of tourist attractions is mainly based on a tiered rather than a categorized system. For market-oriented theme parks like Disney and Happy Valley, and many indoor amusement parks, regardless of their tiers, ticket prices should not and will not be the focus of government price controls. However, for tourist attractions developed using public resources such as mountains, rivers, forests, grasslands, and cultural heritage, continuously promoting lower ticket prices is a policy choice to "make it affordable for ordinary people" and a strategic requirement for the high-quality development of the tourism industry. After the resumption of inter-provincial tourism under the normalized epidemic situation, various regions have successively introduced preferential policies for scenic spots. On July 1st, the 2020 version of the "Hainan Tourism Annual Pass" was released in Haikou. The annual pass is priced at 198 yuan per ticket, and Hainan residents can purchase it online. It is for personal use only and uses "direct facial recognition" or "annual pass QR code + facial recognition" verification methods for entry. In fact, this case should more accurately be called a "scenic spot annual pass," as it covers 23 scenic spots including Yanoda, Xiaodongtian, and Monkey Island, and can only be used once per day. In the future, as tourist attractions fulfill their public responsibility of "sharing with all," their role as gateways to consumer traffic will become even more prominent. In this sense, whether it's proactive development and transformation or cooperation with the government's destination promotion strategy, ticket reductions are a necessary cost for scenic spots, not some kind of "unreasonably low price" or "vicious price competition." As for some comrades' concerns that tourist attractions might experience "high visitor numbers but low profits," I think there's no need to worry. We should trust the innovative capabilities of entrepreneurs; future scenic spots will expand their market space through secondary consumption, derivative product development, and the construction of a "scenic spot+" ecosystem. If we continue to maintain the traditional business model of "profiting from massive crowds and charging entrance fees" through price alliances or even market regulation, even if we are not eliminated by the market, we will be rejected by the times. After this pandemic, the tourism industry cannot return to what it was in the past. This judgment applies not only to travel agencies and hotels but also to tourist attractions. Colleagues and friends, the people need digital scenic spots for the future, as well as green scenic spots for sustainable development. Strengthening the application of technology is a key measure to transform growth drivers and promote the high-quality development of the tourism industry. On July 13, the National Bureau of Statistics announced that in 2019, the new economic growth driver index, mainly composed of new industries, new business formats, and new business models, was 332.0, an increase of 23.4% over the previous year, maintaining a continued upward trend. Among them, the network economy index reached 856.5, an increase of 42.0% over the previous year, contributing 80.5% to the growth of the new economic growth driver index. Whether it is the "strategic pillar industries of the national economy and modern service industries that are more satisfactory to the people" identified in the State Council Document No. 41 of 2009, or the "promoting high-quality development of the tourism industry" required by the Central Economic Work Conference in 2019, both require that tourist attractions can no longer rely on the legacy left to us by nature and our ancestors, but must adapt to new demands, cultivate new growth drivers, and promote new development. This requires us to consider the needs of tourism and entertainment, rather than simply limiting scenic spots to open or indoor spaces from the supply side. Compared to the impact of OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) on travel agencies and budget hotels on tourist hotels, scenic spots have missed out on market innovation opportunities driven by capital, technology, and entrepreneurs in the era of mass tourism over the past two decades. While successful projects such as Wuzhen, Gubei Water Town, Lingshan Grand Buddha, Chimelong Safari Park, Changzhou Dinosaur Park, Songcheng Eternal Love, and Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden have emerged, as well as well-known brands like OCT Happy Valley, Fantawild, and Haichang Ocean Theme Park, the tourism, theme park, and amusement park industry as a whole has not escaped traditional thinking and development models. Future scenic spots must meet new demands with new momentum. In the process of investment, product development, and strategic evolution, we cannot simply revere nature; we must also construct a humanistic framework, allowing tourists to experience the beauty of life through natural interaction with nature, residents, and employees. We cannot simply pay homage to history; we must look to the future, allowing tourists to perceive the universe, life, and civilization in high-tech, newly configured environments. We cannot simply build according to the old standards of only grading without classification; we must be market-oriented and give full play to the leading role of market entities in resource allocation. In this process, contemporary technologies such as big data, edge computing, artificial intelligence, machine translation, 5G, and BeiDou navigation will be indispensable underlying components and key elements connecting this shore and the other, and communicating between today and the future. Ten days ago, I visited several leading companies in the fields of big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G, robotics, and service communications in Shenzhen and Hangzhou. They may not even realize that they have already entered cultural activities and tourism consumption scenarios. For example, children's programming design, robotics competitions, e-sports, and drone flight control have become increasingly popular ways for young people to learn science in their leisure time. This reminds me of my two visits to Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi, which is essentially a science museum "disguised" as a tourist attraction! Once these digitally oriented technology companies establish a strategic presence in the cultural and tourism sectors, how will we respond? The technological content of tourist attractions is reflected in new service projects and also in the equipment and facilities supporting the operation of the attractions. We have witnessed the widespread application of high-tech technologies such as 5G, big data, edge computing, contactless services, augmented reality, e-sports, and Mars camps in all aspects of economic and social life, including tourism and leisure. Disney, Universal Studios, Ferrari World, Merlin Entertainments, and many other high-tech projects are increasingly entering the ranks of top-tier scenic spots. In the era of mass tourism where resources determine competitiveness, we can gain a competitive advantage through market openness and institutional innovation. However, in the era of moderately prosperous tourism where technology determines the competitive landscape, without the support of a laboratory economy and a clear vision of the future of "technology + cultural creativity," scenic spots may become like ancient dinosaurs. Therefore, the China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) is willing to strengthen cooperation with industry organizations such as the China Tourism Scenic Area Association and the China Game and Amusement Park Association, as well as market entities represented by the top 20 tourism groups, to jointly build a future scenic spot laboratory cooperation network and a tourism big data platform. Comrades and friends, hotels are for staying in, scenic spots are for enjoying. What kind of scenic spots the era of moderately prosperous tourism needs is determined by the people's aspirations for a better life. Tourists are not concerned with how many "A"s you have or how many signs you display at the entrance, but rather whether that space offers a warm and welcoming environment and an uplifting atmosphere. In this era of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, as long as we can hear the joyful laughter of citizens and tourists floating in the woods, it doesn't really matter whether it's called a park or a scenic area. As long as we resolutely implement the people-centered development philosophy and continue to move forward along the lines of inclusive, green, and digital goals, the dream of a moderately prosperous tourism area will surely be realized, and it absolutely must be realized!