Kunming becoming a popular tourist destination

This photo shows Dian Lake in Kunming, Yunnan province. Vice-director of Kunming Tourism Development Committee Lin Kejian said that domestic tourists spent an average of 2.45 days in the city last year and overseas visitors stayed on average 1.6 days. In the first quarter of the year, Kunming invested over 165.843 billion yuan in 43 tourism projects. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Kunming authorities aim to develop the city into a popular tourist destination and are highlighting four of its attractions - "Chinese spring city, a historic city, a plateau eco city and open-to-the-southwest city," according to Minister of the City Publicity Department, Xie Xinsong.

Xie said that the city boasts a "favorable climate, abundant cultural resources and unique plateau lakes", and should "protect historical and cultural heritages and promote the traditional culture". He also said that the local authorities will aim to "strengthen international communication" with a focus on southeast Asian countries.

The city is a political, economic and cultural center of Yunnan province but - compared with developed areas - it does not have well-equipped infrastructure.

Vice-director of Kunming Tourism Development Committee, Lin Kejian, said that a total of 56 million tourists arrived in the city last year, generating total tourism revenue of 51.6 billion yuan. He also said that domestic tourists spent an average of 2.45 days in the city and overseas visitors stayed on average 1.6 days.

In the first quarter of the year, Kunming invested over 165.843 billion yuan in 43 tourism projects. The city also aims to create a system to promote its older areas and build world-class hotels.

Liu Yanqing, director of the Office of Industry Coordination Department at the Kunming Development and Reform Commission, said the city should aim to play a central role in developing Yunnan province. And the deputy director of the Tourism Research Institute at Yunnan University, Deng Yongjin, said the authorities should work to preserve or restore ancient buildings, highlight the city's cultural heritage, and focus on recreational and wellness tourism as a "spring and flower city".