Guiyang SOE vitalizes idle tourism project

Despite the recent winter chill, visitors have continued to flock to the Qingyan Carnival Culture and Leisure Block outside the north gate of Qingyan Ancient Town in Guiyang city.

Qingyan Carnival is a cultural and leisure block primarily focused on night economy, catering accommodations, and showcasing intangible cultural heritage. Since its completion in 2018, factors such as lack of funding and poor market led to gradual store closure, classifying the block as an idle and inefficient tourism project in 2021.

In April 2022, Guiyang took over the project's operation and management and enhanced administration by Guiyang Tourism Development Co, a subsidiary of the State-owned Guiyang Industrial Development Holding Group.

Adjacent to Qingyan Ancient Town, a nationally renowned 5A-level tourist attraction welcoming millions of visitors annually, this block's strategic advantage lies in its proximity to the bustling ancient town.

Guiyang Tourism Development Co has actively optimized external roads, bus stops, visitor service centers, and other supporting facilities while aligning the block with the overall development plan for Qingyan Ancient Town's culture and tourism.

In addition to improving facilities, the company has incorporated intangible cultural heritage, local cuisine, hotel accommodations, and other elements into the block vitalization project, catering to diverse consumer needs. The block welcomed the establishment of camping sites, cross-talk societies, and the Miao ethnic group's embroidery industry bases, along with the introduction of 95 enterprises and merchants, including Zhongfei Coffee and Kweichow Maotai.

Following a successful opening on Jan 8 this year, the block has hosted various events such as free ancient town tickets for visitors, NPC performances, and night tours, gradually proving the effectiveness of vitalizing previously underutilized projects.

"During the Spring Festival holiday this year, my family came to the block to participate in a lively and interesting night tour, which was very impressive," Resident Meng Huixin said. She recently accompanied a few friends to rent a few sets of hanfu (a traditional Chinese costume), planning to take some beautiful photos.

As of Nov 15, the block has received over 3.6 million visitors this year, showcasing the initial success of vitalizing once-idle projects.