Original topic: Promoting communication, solidifying people's hearts and developing together through tourism cooperation -- Observation of the 2023 Tourism Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Tourism is a bridge to promote cultural exchanges, a link to build consensus among the people, and a channel to pursue sustainable development. On November 24, the SCO 2023 Tourism Year Forum opened in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. Hundreds of representatives of SCO countries and international organizations talked about tourism potential and tourism cooperation. After the forum, representatives visited Altay and other places in Xinjiang to experience the achievements of tourism development in Xinjiang.
"Tourism is an important way to promote mutual understanding"
"Tourism is an important way to promote international cooperation and mutual understanding." At the opening ceremony of the forum, Zhang Ming, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, delivered a speech saying, "The SCO family is vast and rich in resources. Starting the SCO tourism trip, you can fully experience the cultural diversity and personally experience the colorful cultural and natural customs."
"I am most impressed by the multiculturalism of Xinjiang, where the history is well preserved and people always smile." Said Ali Nehyan, editor of Qatar News Agency, came to Xinjiang for the first time and was deeply attracted by it in just a few days.
"Talk with local people, walk around and see, and the experience is very different from that on the Internet and books. This time, I will tell the people of Qatar about the prosperous and beautiful Xinjiang I saw with my own eyes," said Said Ali Nehyan.
"The world is a big family, and mankind is a community"
"The connection between Uzbekistan and China began when Zhang Qian opened the Silk Road," said Salvar Musayev, chairman of the China Tourism Development Association of Uzbekistan. "The starting point of the ancient Silk Road is China. Uzbekistan is one of the commercial, scientific, literary and artistic centers of the ancient Silk Road."
During the tea break of the forum, he excitedly told reporters that Uzbekistan and China have great potential for tourism cooperation. "This year, we have organized more than 1000 people to come to China for business tourism."
In the Altay Regional Museum, the carbonized wheat grains unearthed in the Tongtian Cave site about 5200 years ago attracted people's attention. In the same site, the remains of carbonized wheat grains were also found.
According to the staff of Altay Regional Museum, more than 5000 years ago, wheat from Central and Western Asia and millet from North China met in Altay, spreading from east to west, bringing benefits to both the East and the West.
Hamad Shamimi, the Deputy Minister of the Cabinet of Pakistan, listened carefully to the story of "millet wheat meeting" and sighed that as early as a thousand years ago, East and West civilizations began to exchange and learn from each other. The world is a big family and mankind is a community.
"The development of Xinjiang is one of the best manifestations of China's development"
In the early winter, the cold is getting stronger. Altay, Xinjiang, known as the "snow capital of China", has already put on a silver coat and entered the peak season of ice and snow tourism.
In the General Mountain International Ski Resort in Altay City, local herdsmen wear traditional clothes and pedal fur skis to perform traditional ski shows for guests from afar. After the performance, the guests enthusiastically rushed forward to take photos with the herdsmen.
"Selling fur skis, opening animal husbandry, being a ski instructor... Almost all people in the 'Snow City' have eaten 'tourism'." Chen Yang, director of planning and marketing of Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort, told reporters, "There are more than 500 employees in the ski resort in winter, 80% of whom are local people, and the average salary can reach nearly 7000 yuan."
Tourism has greatly driven the development of local economy. Ding Yan, a tourism promoter in Altay, said that by the end of October this year, Altay had received 28.6461 million tourists, an increase of 63.03% year on year, and achieved a tourism revenue of 25.048 billion yuan, an increase of 69.19% year on year.
Poverty eradication is a common challenge facing mankind. China's achievements in reducing poverty and driving people to increase income and become rich through the development of tourism have won praise from guests. Hamad Shamimi said, "China's contribution to the world has attracted worldwide attention, and the development of Xinjiang is one of the best manifestations of China's development. With the emerging tourism industry and improved supporting tourism facilities, Xinjiang has provided a lot of useful experience for Pakistan's tourism industry."
"The SCO attaches more importance to people to people and cultural cooperation in tourism and other fields than ever before. Promoting people to people and cultural exchanges and enhancing understanding among people of all countries through tourism can benefit from economic, social and other aspects," Zhang said.
