Good morning! Ladies and gentlemen, friends of the press,
Today, I was entrusted by the organizing committee of Ecological Liaocheng Culture Tourism Festival to inform you related information on 2009 Culture Tourism Festival. Firstly, on behalf of the organizing committee of Culture Tourism Festival and Liaocheng People’s Government, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all friends joining our news release conference, and offer my heartfelt thanks to various circles of society, journalistic friends from major media who concern and support the construction and development of biological Liaocheng-Water City North to Yangtze River and Ancient City along Canals as well as Liaocheng’s festival cause.
Next, I’d like to briefly introduce the basic information of 2009 Culture and Tourism Festival and general situation of Liaocheng;
1. General Situation of Liaocheng
Liaocheng, which in ancient time was also known as Dong Chang Fu, is located in the western Shandong Province, at the juncture of Hebei, Shandong and Henan with total area 8715 sq.km. and 5.85 million population, governing 6 counties (Dong Chang Fu district, Lin Qing City and Guan County, Shenxian, Yang Gu, Donga, Chiping, Gaotang )and 1 economic development zone
Liaocheng was our famous” Water City North to Yangtze River and Ancient City along Canals” and awarded titles of “National-level Historical and Cultural City, Provincial-level Garden City, China Excellent Tourism City, China Health City, China Habitat City, China Top Ten Leisure City ”, where has beautiful scenery, honest people and never-ending changeable city with about 30% forest coverage and more than 2.8 million mu forest area, among which, pear garden accounts for 300,000.00 mu to accommodate 200 kinds of birds to cheerfully sing.
Liaocheng is a water city whose water area accounts for one third of construction area and more than 10 square meters of water area per capita. Yellow River-Chinese mother river serpentines more than 60 square meters inside of our city and famous Grand Canal cross urban district; Dong Chang Lake, which is the biggest city lake in northern of China, is located in the center of our city, whose water area is 6.3 square kilometers. A square ancient city with 2000 years of history, located in the center of Dong Chang Lake where lake water encircles the ancient city to form a unique cityscape of “there is a lake in city and a city in lake which integrates together to enhance each other's beauty. ”
Liaocheng has a long historical standing with 2500 years of history. In Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, economic and social development of Liaocheng is fast and the agriculture and handicraft industry are well developed. Ming and Qing dynasties are the splendid period in Liaocheng’s history. The Grant Canal passing though south and north of China has brought vitality for Liaocheng’s development and economic boom. Institutes of outside businessmen set up next to the river, where you can find high towers and famous Buddhist temples; Kangxi emperor in Qing dynasty visited Liaocheng four times and Qianlong Emperor stayed in Liaocheng for nine times. In Liaocheng, talented people are produced by each generation and culture is profound because many stories of Chinese classics such as “Water Margin”，”the Golden Lotus” created from Liaocheng.
2. Development course of Liaocheng’s Festival Cause
To count on our fingers, Liaocheng has successfully held seven terms of culture tourism festival and six terms of “Leisure Week of Water City Autumn”. A variety of theatrical performances is up to 200 sessions including 500 items of culture activity in different communities, 1000 sessions of exhibitions to realize 20 million tourists and 7 billion Yuan tourism gross income. The success of festival has promoted the city brand of “Water City North to Yangtze River and Ancient City along Canals” and effectively flourished our festival culture and trade activity; tertiary-industry has been most beneficial from the two biggest festivals in seven years, fueling about 1% quarter GDP and effectively promoting opening-up and cooperation with outside in Liaocheng. Witnessing changes and feeling development, Liaocheng people sincerely appreciate the power of festivals and consciously grope for the development path of festivals. Festivals have been changing every time to build a bridge for opening-up, communication, cooperation and development. During the course of each festival, we always insist the festival principle of “human-oriented” and try our best to launch classic products and create unique feature so as to show the society an innovative, charming and passionate festival. Festival, producing a significant pushing effect for economic work and social progress of Liaocheng, is not only an important platform and carrier but also has a profound power of influence. The success of festival has revealed the construction achievement of Liaocheng and made the general public be confident for prosperous future, feeling proud for their festival. Therefore, they think with one mind and work with one heart to well proof the spirit of concerted efforts.
Since 2002, culture tourism festival of Liaocheng has been awarded as “member unit of China Festival Collective”,” Top 50 China Festivals” ,”Top 10 China Tourism Festival” etc. mascot “Miaomiao” also awarded “China Festival Mascot Best Visual Award”. Our city could successfully stand out among about 5000 festivals to illustrate the powerful attraction and influence of “Water City North to Yangtze River-Ancient City along Canals-Biological Liaocheng” and reflect its modern dynamic and charming;
3. General situation of 2009 Culture Tourism Festival
2009 Culture Tourism Festival will be held from May 1st to 3rd in Liaocheng in the theme of “Water City North to Yangtze River, Ancient City along Canals-Harmony and Opening-up; scientific development”, including 16 main activities in 6 categories such as aquatic activity, cultural activity, Sports Leisure, Expert’s Forum, economic and commercial talks, tourism promotion etc,. we will fully show historical culture, folkways and tourism charming to combine the custom with modern element, theatrical performances with trade exhibition, tourism view with mass participation, economic benefit with social benefit, utilizing resources superiority of culture, sports, tourism and trade etc to actively promote international exchange and cooperation and greatly design the brand of “Water City North to Yangtze River-Ancient City along Canals-Biological Liaocheng” to promote the fast development of economic and social course.
1) Reallocate resources and promote thrifty to stand out festival local feature complying with festival principle of “strict economy” stipulated by municipal Party committee and city government. The festival in this year will try its best to realize a target of “thrifty festival and good festival with less money”. It should fully reallocate our existing culture resources to focus on local folk feature and further explore the feature programs with power influence. The ancient folk art treasure such as temple fair activity in Shanxi and Shaanxi Commercial Guild Hall, spot gourd caving, paper cut, clay whistles and Beijing opera and Honan opera performance reveals culture foundation and mien. The activity of “view thousand-year ancient wall and travel Tangyi Confucian temple” could make you view new Confucius statue, site of an ancient city and feel the culture foundation of Tanyi Confucian temple with 800 years history. Utilizing water resource, we held water activities such as “Night Tour Dong Chang Fu”, “lake and river view” etc to reflect the distinctive characteristics of water city tourism. Theatrical performances in communities make general public to enjoy excellent performance at home. On the occasion when protective development program of the ancient city is progress, we held tourism promotion and city promotion campaign to show the culture style of “Water City North to Yangtze River, Ancient City along Canals”.
2) Build brand with scientific guidance to realize the maximum festival economic benefit. Under current economic situation, economic and trade exhibition has been considered as the important channel and platform for information exchange, business opportunity and market expansion, being petted and noticed by clients. Our city takes full advantages of the platform of culture tourism to organize all kinds of economic and trade exhibition used as platform for Liaocheng’s reform and opening-up and a Trade and Investment Promotion brand as well as an image showing window, which is also our basic goal of this festival. Each economic and trade activity will depend on Liaocheng’s advantageous resources to create innovative festival model and establish new concept and direction of economic development of Liaocheng festival. During 2009 culture tourism festival, our city will invite more than 100 entrepreneurs at home and broad to gather in Liaocheng to participate “2009 water city spring summit of entrepreneurs at home and broad”, so as to promote international cooperation and exchange and realize win-win. Moreover, there are national steel tube exhibition, auto Carnival and beer carnival travel etc. which are important brand industries from a content point of view. If it goes well, the related industries will have an important influence. Auto carnival activity will held series activities with novel culture themes to blend auto culture into brand culture. The function of”auto culture” and auto “business” will be equal to bring more economic benefit for exhibitors. National steel tube industry exhibition aims at creating an important trade and show platform for exchange and cooperation of steel tube industry. By gathering new technology and new product and latest result in steel tube industry, it will bridge for steel tube suppliers and customers. Beer carnival travel will disseminate mass the beer culture by holding entertainment programs, drinking contest and gourmet dining etc to promote beer brand and beer popularity.
3) Focus on actual effect and enrich festival content to maximally attract social participation. We made an earlier start for 2009 festival to involve and plan in advance. Each department and social group has a high enthusiasm for this festival. The characteristics of this festival is numerous categories, quantity, and 15 large activities including more than 30 items like Ginger dike paradise, arboretum to form spatial formula and pluralism atmosphere of “water, earth, folk, fashion, view and participation”. Most activities not only have strong view and entertainment elements, but also focus on mass participation. National fitness month could lead mass to participate fitness to create good atmosphere for National Games. A series activity like Ginger dike paradise, arboretum, Guan County Pear Garden will make guests to feel the charming of ecological agriculture. Beer carnival is passionate to realize the interactive above and below the stage. Beer carnival and art exhibition will promote the festival into climate to truly make mass enjoy themselves s into joy-”enjoy joy in participation”
On the occasion of 2009 culture tourism festival opening, 5.85 million Liaocheng people extend our sincere invitation to friends both at home and abroad. On the beautiful season when everything comes to life again, we invite you to take your friends to have a happy, leisure and fruitful vocation in Liaocheng! Water city will welcome friends and guests from every corner of the world with our unique feature and verve.
At last, I wish you are healthy, happy, a good job and well-being family!
Thanks everyone!