Leisure industry seen as key to the way Beijing grows

As capital prepares to host 2020 congress, officials lend full support to sector

Leisure and tourism's contribution to the economy should be further highlighted as the Chinese capital is built into a world-class livable city, said government officials at the second China (Beijing) Leisure Conference recently.

"Beijing should attach greater importance to the development of the leisure industry, in order to refresh its image as a key city with a booming leisure and tourism industry," said Wang Ning, vice-mayor of Beijing.

The leisure industry has become a significant engine of growth, driving economic transformation and upgrades which in turn generate new space for more growth, Wang said.

He described building up the industrial chain as conducive to developing distinctive "Beijing-flavored" products in the fields of leisure and tourism, which will enhance the quality of services on offer and boost synergic development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

"However, we should also be aware that the overall development of the leisure industry is still in the primary stage and its theories are still in need of in-depth study," he said.

"We should pave the way for supply-side structural reform among the whole leisure sector, which is necessary to meet people's increasing needs for leisure activities."

The second China (Beijing) Leisure Conference, designed as an important platform to explore new trends and ideas in the leisure and tourism industry, kicked off in Beijing's Pinggu district on Sept 21 under the theme of "Urban Culture and Leisure Industry Development".

The conference featured various forms of promotional activities relating to the leisure and tourism industry, including academic forums, product exhibitions and promotional conferences, which enabled visitors to experience the latest products and exchange new ideas.

It served to promote new leisure products, present new trends and generate new opportunities for cooperation within the industry. Governmental officials, experts from international organizations and research institutes, business insiders and traditional artisans all attended the conference.

Wang said the conference not only helps generate advanced concepts and useful ideas for the development of the leisure industry in Beijing and across China, but gives those involved valuable experience ahead of the 16th World Leisure Congress, which Pinggu will also host in 2020.

Pinggu is Beijing's easternmost district, endowed with many mountains, rivers and forests. According to local governmental officials, its forest coverage rate has reached 66.94 percent.

"We persist in promoting green development in Pinggu - striving to transform local ecological advantages into development strengths and building up a series of key ecological conservation zones in this eastern region of the capital," said Wang Chengguo, Party chief of Pinggu.

The second China (Beijing) Leisure Conference was hosted by the China Tourism Association, the Beijing Commission of Tourism Development and the Pinggu district government.

The World Leisure Congress was founded by the World Leisure Organization, a non-governmental body that promotes leisure as integral to social, cultural, economic and sustainable environmental development.

liyou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/28/2018 page10)