"Liwan District is committed to building an international consumption center," said Xu Mingxi, Head of Liwan District Publicity Department, at the 2023 Understanding China Conference (Guangzhou) Series Sub-Forum 2: Lingnan Culture and Millennium Commercial Capital on December 3 in Guangzhou. "Liwan served 2.6 million tourists in key scenic spots, Liwan served 2.6 million tourists in key scenic spots, with an increase of 77.38 percent YoY during the travel season of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in 2023, which has made it the core consuming district in Guangzhou."
Xu Mingxi, Head of Liwan District Publicity Bureau (Photo: Nanfang Plus)
Liwan emphasized the development of the cultural brand. "Liwan has organized the water flower market, the Shangsi Festival (also known as the Double Third Festival to ward off evil spirits and natural disasters), Dragon Boat Festival, and Yongqing Fang Performing Arts Month, providing a variety of cultural experiences to citizens," he introduced.
In his view, cultural resources, particularly the collection of intangible cultural heritage, are an important strength for Liwan to become the core area of Lingnan culture. He said, "the opening of Yongqing Fang marked the first intangible cultural heritage block in Guangzhou, which introduced 10 master studios in 2020. Three years later, Liwan built an intangible cultural heritage area in June, Guangzhou's first area that integrates the production, display, sales, and research processes of intangible cultural heritage, with 20 master studios set up inside."
Xu said Liwan plans to further promote tourism with its cultural advantages. "Liwan District has the Baietan waterfront area. We will integrate culture, technology, and tourism to develop intangible cultural heritage tourism, connecting cultural blocks, business zones, and scenic spots in the area," he added.
Reporter | Clarice
Editor | Olivia, Jasmine, James
