Tours in an ancient, prosperous land

Tourists tired of traveling only to see similar scenery or having the same experiences might find something different in Jinhua, Zhejiang province.

The city has several main tourism routes that feature agriculture and ecology, traditional buildings, folk art and movie production.

With a history stretching back more than 3,000 years, the city is full of historical sites where famous ancient figures including generals, politicians and cultural masters left their footprints.

Located in one of the most prosperous regions of China, Jinhua attracted innumerable poets and litterateurs down through history whose masterpieces strengthened the cultural traditions of the city. A delicately designed tour route links them to each other, giving visitors a personal touch of history.

With bountiful water and other resources, Jinhua people are also proud of the prosperous local agriculture and are willing to share their joy with tourists. They have set up a giant citron garden where tourists can pick the lemon-like fruit with their own hands.

In the old urban zone, more commonly called Guzicheng, traditional buildings are so well preserved they offer visitors a taste of a long-past lifestyle.

To further enrich the experience, Jinhua's tourism authorities recruit folk artists for traditional performances. Visitors might have a mistaken impression that they are living in the 1900s, not the 2010s.

Jinhua also has the nickname of "smaller Hollywood in China" due it its movie production base called Hengdian.

It has become a calling card for the city due to the nationwide popularity of the movies made there. Tourists rush to movie locations, especially sites of the many war films and TV series. Special zones allow tourists to touch cannons and watch reenactments of battles.

Commercially successful Jinhua also has many brand shops that attract those who love shopping. On the central avenues of the city, shops are not inferior to any US city of the same size.

Problems in the domestic tourism industry - cheating and forced buying in some places - are bad experiences for tourists, while overcrowding almost makes traveling a torment for some.

But authorities in Jinhua are making their best efforts to free tourists from such burdens. To give every tourist a good feeling about Jinhua, the authorities are very strict in law enforcement - when complaints about cheating are confirmed, the shop owner faces severe penalties.

The tourism administrators also conduct satisfaction surveys every year to get feedback from tourists and solicit their opinions.

zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/28/2015 page16)