Hangzhou Poised to Embrace the World – An Interview with Hangzhou Tourism Commission Director Li Hong

By staff reporter CHEN XI

REFERRED to as an earthly paradise, Hangzhou is a well-established historical and cultural city in China. As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, as well as a world cultural heritage site, Hangzhou has been ranked as one of the happiest cities in China for 10 consecutive years, and also been conferred the title of “Oriental Capital of Leisure” by the World Leisure Organization. To learn how Hangzhou will become an international tourist destination, China Today interviewed the director of the Hangzhou Tourism Commission Li Hong.

Li Hong, director of Hangzhou Tourism Commission.

China Today (CT): In September 2016, Hangzhou successfully held the G20 Summit. What changes did the summit bring to the city?

Li Hong: Hangzhou’s successful hosting of the 2016 G20 Summit was of great significance and exerted a far-reaching influence on the city’s tourism industry. First of all, the G20 Summit refreshed the city’s image, improved its core competitiveness, and boosted its international reputation. The G20 Summit drew the whole world’s attention to Hangzhou, providing an opportunity to showcase the city’s strength and glamor.

Second, the summit accelerated the development of Hangzhou’s convention and exhibition industry. Thanks to the summit, its infrastructure for international events has been upgraded, and a host of professionals with an international perspective have come to the fore.

Hangzhou has secured a slew of international convention and exhibition projects, such as the Asian Games in 2022. The Olympic Sports Center enables the city to host large-scale sports events and high-end business and academic international conferences. We’re trying to get into the MICE (meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition) niche market.

An aerial view of the Thousand-islet Lake in Chun’an. Lin Anqi

Third, hosting the G20 Summit has also expedited infrastructure construction including airport, subways, and roads. All the scenic spots were remodeled, streetscapes were further beautified, and more attention was also attached to ecological restoration. These efforts have improved the city’s overall environment, thus laying a foundation to build it into an international sightseeing and leisure center.

Last but not least, the summit showcased Hangzhou people’s high humanistic quality. They are friendly and amiable, valuing tradition and laws, which is a true reflection of a city’s heartbeat. Meanwhile, via the summit, people’s sense of pride, belonging, and honor as citizens of Hangzhou has been enhanced. All these undoubtedly contribute to the city’s development and its tourist industry.

CT: Hangzhou saw the intersection of the Silk Road and maritime silk routes in ancient times. What benefits and challenges is the Belt and Road Initiative bringing to the city’s tourist industry?

Li: Hangzhou was an important node of the Silk Road. More than 1,000 years ago Marco Polo set foot here using both the land and maritime silk roads. Silk, tea, and porcelain produced here were once transported across the world through the ancient commercial routes.

Now, Hangzhou is proactively integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative. Taking advantage of the country’s strategic promotion of the Initiative, Hangzhou has set a new model for marketing the city as a global tourist destination.

In the first half of 2015, we started the “Global Tour 2015” campaign of revisiting the ancient Silk Road. The 30-day tour, organized by Hangzhou’s tourism ambassadors, traversed the Eurasian Continent and the United States, and greatly promoted Hangzhou’s culture. The most appealing part of Hangzhou doesn’t lie in its identity as the host of the G20 Summit, but its cultural attractions as the capital of silk.

China Silk Museum

With its tourism innovation, Hangzhou is actively exploring ways to transform its tourist industry. What we seek is not just to increase tourism revenue, but to attract investment and tap potentials of other industries. Tourism should become an engine for local economic development, presenting opportunities for the city’s overall development.

CT: The West Lake is one of the few national tourist attractions open to the public for free. What changes has this practice brought to Hangzhou?

Li: Since 2003, Hangzhou has strengthened ecological protection of the West Lake, guided by the concept of “returning the lake to the people, and surrounding people with the lake.” The West Lake is part of the city, closely associated with the citizens’ daily lives. Hangzhou was built to complement the lake, earned its reputation from it, and developed because of it. After revamping and upgrading its neighboring areas and dredging the lake, we mean by returning it to the people making it free for the public, including both residents and tourists, because we always put people first.

West Lake. Yu Guangming

The development of a tourist city can’t rely solely on the admission fees of its tourist attractions. By opening it to the public for free, the West Lake is naturally integrated into the city without boundaries, despite the loss of tens of millions of yuan in ticket proceeds. Tourists feel more comfortable and satisfied with the city’s natural wonders, and would like to stay longer.

With the increasing influx of tourists, their spending is also on the rise, thus greatly raising Hangzhou’s overall revenue in its tourism and leisure industry. In fact, free admission to the West Lake spurred an exponential increase in Hangzhou’s tourism revenue. In 2014, the overall income of its tourist industry stood at RMB 41.07 billion which surged to RMB 220.07 billion in 2015. So freeing the West Lake to all is beneficial to all sides.  

The West Lake is a national 5A tourist attraction and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For most of the attractions adjacent to the lake, we abolished tickets. But for some spots, such as Lingyin Temple, Yue Fei Temple, and three pagodas on the island in the middle of the lake, we set up ticket gates to control the visitor flows. However, admission to all seven major parks along the bank and all museums is free. 

CT: Hangzhou is also nicknamed “capital of e-business” in China. How has the city realized its Internet Plus pertaining to its tourist industry?

Li: At the 2016 China New-type Smart City Summit held in Beijing on December 27, Hangzhou led the list of the overall index on social services for Chinese cities, and also topped the indexes on new-type services for the public and transport services.

Hangzhou Tourism Commission has introduced an array of campaigns by resorting to new media. We established the official accounts in Facebook and Twitter, and also developed our own app in several languages.

In addition, cooperating with Alibaba, we introduced the Hangzhou Travel Passport program. With its online service, tourists can check tourism information, book related travel products, spot special offers, and find navigable maps and other services such as car rentals.

Tourists can make quick payments through Alipay. Moreover, we’re planning to collect and analyze data on visitors’ passports so as to more accurately target tourists in our travel product development and marketing.

CT: A museum is an archive recording a city’s evolving history. What museums do you recommend to foreign visitors? And what culinary delights await them in Hangzhou?

Li: Hangzhou was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), so I recommend to visitors the Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum, and those themed on tea, silk, knives, swords, and umbrellas are also well worth visiting.

In addition, we have a living craftsmanship exhibition center, displaying a dozen traditional handicrafts which all make up our country’s intangible cultural heritage. Visitors can also enhance their experience by participating in some activities.

At the Liangzhu Culture Museum, the living environment and conditions of local people about 5,000 years ago are depicted, with lots of stone, jade and black pottery wares on display.

Longjing Tea

There is also the Hangzhou Cuisine Museum, showing how banquet tables were laid out in ancient times, where you can not only learn about the history of Hangzhou cuisine, but also savor those delicious dishes. On walking out of the museum, you can take a stroll in the nearby Jiangyangfan Ecological Park.   

Hangzhou’s traditional dishes include such well-known delights as West Lake Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Fried Shelled Shrimps with Longjing Tea, Dongpo Pork, and Beggar’s Chicken. Savoring them may help you better understand the city’s long history and its inclusive and open nature.