10 June 2022 | UCLG ASPAC active member, Xi’an has long become one of China’s most visited tourist destinations, most particularly during the Silk Road period. With the spirit to spread out and support tourism development in other cities, Xi’an Municipal People’s Government has initiated the establishment of the Tourism Committee under the framework of UCLG ASPAC. The goal is to enhance cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation among member cities and tourism cities along the Silk Road and promote coordinated development, mutual benefits, and the win-win result of cultural tourism.
To achieve the goal, UCLG ASPAC Tourism Committee (UATC) hosted the Committee’s first congress on June 10, 2022. A total of 131 representatives from the UCLG ASPAC, CPAFFC, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, and member cities of the UCLG ASPAC Tourism Committee gathered in hybrid mode.
In the opening remarks, Mr. Li Mingyuan, Mayor of Xi’an and President of the UATC emphasised that culture is the soul of tourism, and tourism is the carrier of culture. He stated that Xi’an warmly welcomes more cities to join UATC and will continue to intensify communication and cooperation among members, improve the capacity of tourism governance and contribute to the shared prosperity of cultural tourism among international communities.
Ms. Xiao Qi, Vice Mayor of Xi’an and Executive President of the UATC, presided over the 1st Congress. On this occasion, the logo of the Committee was launched, the Constitution of the UATC was adopted by all representatives, and candidates for Presidency and Council members were also approved in an open vote.
In the Committee’s First Congress, Presidency members of the UATC expressed their hopes and commitments towards this committee. UCLG ASPAC Secretary General, Vice President of the UATC, Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi confided in the Committee saying that UATC would become an excellent platform for members to enhance cooperation and collaboration in sustainable tourism activities and efforts. She also reiterated the commitment of UCLG ASPAC to support sustainable tourism development by encouraging more cities to join the UATC.
Mayor of Kragujevac, Vice President of the UATC, Mr. Nikola Dasic also expressed his confidence saying that UATC could contribute to economic development, international understanding and peace, and tourism prosperity through direct, spontaneous, and immediate contacts among member cities. Head of Culture and Tourism Bureau of Jambi, Ms. Mariani Yanti on behalf of the mayor, hoped that members could jointly create new opportunities and inject incentives for cultural tourism development in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Mr. Sun Chao, Director of Xi’an Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, presented the annual work plans and new members, displaying the current 39 member cities of the UATC. Mr. Qiang Sheng, Director of Xi’an Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, briefed the updates of the official website of the UATC (http://www.uatc.org.cn/). He mentioned that the website is committed to providing all member cities a platform to further strengthen international communication and cooperation on culture and tourism exchanges.
The Congress yielded fruitful outcomes, from forming the management mechanism and governing body, to releasing the logo, annual work plans, and official website of the UATC. All the efforts have further contributed to the mutual exchanges and in-depth cooperation in cultural tourism development among its member cities.
Following the work plans, the UATC will organise various activities and events, such as the Global Training programme for practitioners in the cultural and travel industry and the Council Meeting. The UATC is looking forward to further collaboration with its members to create new opportunities and build a shared future for the prosperity of cultural tourism development.
