Phoenix Satellite Television:

Cities like Shenyang and Dalian have always been popular tourist destinations. Additionally, places like the wetland park in Panjin have also garnered significant attention. How does Liaoning plan to turn this widespread attention into a solid foundation for the long-term development of its cultural tourism industry, attracting people to visit and also return? Thank you.

Gao Tao:

Thank you for your interest in Liaoning's cultural tourism sector. Liaoning province boasts beautiful natural landscape, rich cultural heritage and warm, genuine people. We have a diverse range of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands and deserts, each with their own unique beauty. The historical legacies of the Hongshan culture, San-Yan culture, Liao and Jin dynasties culture, and the early Qing dynasty culture have been preserved over time. Moreover, the people of Liaoning province are known for their hospitality and kindness. We are working tirelessly to present the most beautiful aspects of Liaoning to visitors from both home and abroad.

At the end of last year, the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) announced the latest findings in its research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization, confirming that the Niuheliang Site of the Hongshan culture represents the first stage of ancient Chinese civilization. This discovery has attracted a large number of tourists to visit the city of Chaoyang in Liaoning, seeking to explore its ancient wonders.

During this year's Spring Festival holiday, visitors flocked to Liaoning to revel in ice and snow activities and hot spring relaxation, attracted by its combination of accessibility, moderate temperatures, and affordability. Liaoning's abundance of ski resorts, coupled with its milder winter temperatures, has made the province a consistently sought-after destination for ice and snow tourism. In Shenyang, visitors flocked to the Xiaoheyan morning market to experience the quintessence of affordability and made a stop at the internet-famous Shenyangzhanzhan subway station to partake in the "Listen to Advice Tourism" trend (The Shenyang Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television reverted the station's name back to its original version after heeding the advice of internet users). Additionally, visitors explored the historical relics of the Qing dynasty (1616-1911) at the Shenyang Imperial Palace, one of the nation's two remaining ancient imperial palace complexes. During the Spring Festival holiday, Liaoning received a total of 40.866 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 299.6%, generating a total revenue of 41.27 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 572.7%.

This trend continues to gain momentum. This spring, Liaoning has witnessed a resurgence in the popularity of flower and bird appreciation tours. Visitors have been flocking to the province to admire the stunning spring blossoms and picturesque landscapes, indulge in distinctive local cuisines, and immerse themselves in folk culture. Currently, Gangdong 5th Street in Dalian has emerged as a bustling new tourist destination.

Moving forward, we will continuously refine our tourism offerings and enrich the cultural depth of ice and snow, oceanic, borderland, and game-based experiences. By incorporating elements of leisure travel, we will vigorously develop ice and snow hot spring tours, eco-friendly residential getaways, marine and island excursions, revolutionary legacy study journeys, and distinctive culinary explorations, among others. Our aim is to introduce a wider range of high-quality cultural, sports, and tourism-integrated products that not only cater to market demand but also embody rich regional characteristics.

By capitalizing on the opportunity to host China's 15th National Winter Games and embracing the concept of "traveling with sports events," we will enhance and diversify our cultural and sports tourism experiences. This initiative aims to deeply ingrain Liaoning's tourism slogan, "Mountains and seas bear affection; Liaoning beckons with heart and harmony," within the hearts of visitors and establish the province as a pioneering region for the high-quality, integrated development of cultural and sports tourism.

That's all for my answer. Thank you.