Travel experts explore Suzhou's cultural, tourism offerings

Overseas travel agents who participated in the recently concluded China International Travel Mart 2024 in Shanghai were invited to attend a tourism event in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Monday.

The Suzhou municipal bureau of culture, radio, television, and tourism introduced the city's cultural and tourism offerings with the theme "Youyuan Jingmeng".

"Youyuan Jingmeng", or "The Interrupted Dream", is an excerpt from the Chinese Kunqu Opera classic Peony Pavilion, in which the heroine Du Liniang dreams in a garden, sparking a romance. Suzhou is renowned for its ancient gardens, including the Humble Administrator's Garden.

The event hosted 30 overseas travel agents from six Gulf countries and Russia, 24 young Sinologists from 21 countries, and 30 representatives from Suzhou's travel agencies, online travel platforms, scenic spots, and hotels. It also showcased the intangible cultural heritage works of masters Wu Wenkang and Chen Qiaosheng, who were selected for the 2023 Forbes China Top 100 Outstanding Craftspeople.

During the two-day itinerary, the overseas travel agents also conducted site inspections of the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Zhouzhuang water town, and a museum showcasing the traditional arts and crafts of Suzhou. These visits aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the city's rich cultural and tourism resources and intangible cultural heritage products.

The China International Travel Mart 2024, the largest of its kind in Asia, was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai from Nov 22 to 24. This year's exhibition highlighted the facilitation of inbound tourism, new products and routes for inbound tourism, international and domestic regional cooperation, and tourism destination marketing.

It aimed to promote China's national tourism image to the world, integrate inbound tourism products and resources, further develop the inbound tourism market, and promote international tourism exchange and cooperation.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism organized a site inspection in Suzhou for the participating overseas travel agents.