The tourism administration of the city of Lanzhou, Gansu province came up with a novel idea for helping tourists who happen to be visiting the city on their birthday with an, “Inviting you to Lanzhou noodles” activity where they can get plenty of free Lanzhou noodles while spending the night at a star-level hotel or travel with a Lanzhou travel agency, from Dec 1 to April 30, 2015. The first seven lucky visitors whose birthday was on Dec 1 to get the “birthday invite” activity got a Lanzhou noodle coupon, a copy of Lanzhou’s Readers magazine, and a commemorative certificate signed by the mayor, at Lanzhou’s Northwest Hotel, on Dec 1.

The activity is intended to promote tourism during the slack season, and, according to a city tourism administrator, Reng Yaodong, the lucky tourists also get meal coupons not just for the noodles, but also beef, eggs, pickles, snacks and Gaiwan tea, to give them a good taste of delicious Lanzhou treats. One of the lucky tourists, from South Korea said, “Traveling along the Silk Road has become very popular in Korea recently, which is why I chose to visit Gansu this time. And it’s wonderful to get these gifts and enjoy the delicious noodles.”

By Li Xiaoxu and edited by Roger Bradshaw