The leisure side of Guangzhou

The local trade wants to prove that Guangzhou is more than just a busy transport and commerce hub, with plenty of attractions that will be of interest to FITs.

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Guangzhou is China’s third-largest city, an important centre of foreign commerce in Southern China and the cradle of Cantonese culture – all signs pointing to a strong tourism sector.

Three million international visitors came to Guangzhou last year, according to the Guangzhou Hotel Association, a 7.6 per cent increase over the 2.8 million in 2013.

The city is also the third most-visited destination on mainland China after Shanghai and Beijing, says the China National Tourism Administration, though the city’s image as a commercial and industrial centre has persisted.

Exo Travel China believes in the potential and “pulling power” of Guangzhou. Managing director Olivier Marchesin said: “People consider Guangzhou in general as a big industrialised place with possibilities for doing just a little more than half-day tours around the historic Shamian Island…but Guanghzou is much more than that.”

Marchesin pointed out that many of the city’s attractions are easily covered on walking tours, while heritage attractions including Hakka villages and the well-preserved Diaolou watchtowers at Kaiping city are accesible from Guangzhou.

“This place just needs (tour operators) to promote it better. But please, let’s keep Guangzhou a place for FITs but not mass tourism,” urged Marchesin.

Echoing this was Century Holiday International Travel Group’s Guangzhou branch office general manager, Creamy Chen, who remarked that Guangzhou is home to many historical relics, some dating back 5,000 years.

Wholesale markets are popular among South-east Asians who snap up leather, fabric and electronic products made locally; and the Guangzhou Tower, built for the 2010 Asian Games, is now another drawcard for tourists, she said.

“Guangzhou is the gateway city to the Pearl River Data and our rail network makes it easy for FITs to travel to all the main destinations,” Chen added. “Moreover, high-speed rail now connects Guangzhou to Zhangjiajie, Xiaoguan, Wuhan and Guizhou, which may draw additional overnight stays to the city.”

Further improvements in transportation are also underway. Guangdong China Travel Service’s chief inspector, Vico Wei, elaborated that a high-speed train from Guangzhou to Guizhou was launched in late 2014, China Southern Airlines added a San Francisco link in December, while Baiyun International Airport’s third runway was launched in February.

“In 2013, we became the third city in China to introduce 72-hour visa-free transits. That was a good start, but we’re finding it too short for longhaul visitors who must adjust to local time, so we hope it can be stretched to five days,” he said.

Aloft Guangzhou Hotel University Park, which opened last year, also has its sights set on FITs. Said hotel manager, Sophia Wong: “We have observed that increasing numbers of FIT travellers are coming to the city, especially families during long holidays. The tourist scene has transformed dramatically since the successful hosting of the Asian Games, with a slew of international hotel brands also helping to lift the city’s image.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, April 10, 2015 issue, on page 18. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

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