Peter Row, elementary principal at Dalian American International School, poses for a photo after an interview with China Daily website in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, on Feb 8, 2019. （Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn）
Dalian is opening its door to welcome international guests from all over the world, as the city in Northeast China's Liaoning province has developed tremendously since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Transforming from a fishing village to an international tourism city, Dalian, dubbed the "Pearl of the North", has witnessed great changes in the tourism industry during past decades, especially since reform and opening-up, a tourism expert in Dalian said.
Peter Row, a Canadian who came to Dalian six years ago, extended congratulations on China's 70-year anniversary. He added that thanks to reform and opening-up, international friends can meet Chinese people, understand the culture, exchange ideas and benefit from one another.
Bi Yunfeng, general manager of Dalian Jinshitan Tourism Group, poses for a photo after an interview with China Daily website in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, on Feb 8, 2019. (Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn)
Dalian not only boasts extensive natural resources but also signature festivals, including Dalian Fashion Festival, Dalian Beer Festival, Jinshitan New Year Tourism Cultural Festival and Lantern Festival, said Bi Yunfeng, general manager of the Dalian Jinshitan Tourism Group.
Innovation is the key for the tourism industry's development in Dalian, which is famous for integrated travel experiences on land, sea and air. Visitors can not only travel on cruise ships and explore the national geopark for natural beauty, but also ride a helicopter for adventure in the sky, Bi said.
International friends pose for a group photo in front of the main lantern of the Lantern Festival in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, on Feb 7, 2019. (Photo by Ma Chengjun/For chinadaily.com.cn)
The travel industry's development in the city can not only grow the local economy by stimulating consumption but also provide a good business environment attracting international talent such as Row, elementary principal at Dalian American International School.
Row, who has worked in many countries, was attracted to Dalian by the lovely environment, beautiful beaches and mountains and friendly population, he said.
A family of four takes a photo in front of lanterns during the Tourism and Cultural Festival and Lantern Festival in Jinshitan. (Photo by Ma Wenjun/For chinadaily.com.cn)
He considers modern buildings, subway systems, high-speed trains and available goods and services to be the biggest changes during his stay in Dalian.
Row thinks one of the challenges of growing and developing is pollution and keeping things clean, but China is doing a wonderful job on that, he added, and everybody has benefited from continue efforts to protect the environment.
The Tourism and Cultural Festival and Lantern Festival for the Chinese New Year of the Pig are celebrated in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, on Jan 27, 2019. (Photo by Ma Wenjun/For chinadaily.com.cn)
As President Xi pointed out "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," the Dalian tourism industry is using that wisdom to turn the area's lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets but also attach great importance to environmentally protective development of industry, Bi said.
Dalian Coastal National Geopark, dubbed one of the 40 most beautiful scenic spots in China by CNN, is not only a gift from nature but also another trademark of Dalian as the city opens its arms to welcome international guests, Bi said.
The Tourism and Cultural Festival and Lantern Festival for the Chinese New Year of the Pig are celebrated in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province. (Photo by Ma Wenjun/For chinadaily.com.cn)
Dalian, the national tourist resort and one of the top tourism cities in China, has become a driving force for the development of the country's tourism industry.
Statistics from the Chinese Tourism Academy show China's tourism industry saw robust growth in both revenue and number of visitors during the week-long Spring Festival holiday.
The Tourism and Cultural Festival and Lantern Festival for the Chinese New Year of the Pig are celebrated in Dalian. (Photo by Ma Wenjun/For chinadaily.com.cn)
The country recorded a total of 415 million trips made by tourists and grossed 513.9 billion yuan ($76.14 billion) in tourism revenue between Feb 4 to 10, an increase of 7.6 and 8.2 percent respectively on a yearly basis.
