The forum aims to boost the application of smart digital technologies for both local residents and tourists visiting the province.
Smart tourism is a new “tourist-centric digital model”. The keys to making smart tourism a success are cloud computing and mobile applications that offer efficient data services, transactions and interactions.
Yunnan is at the forefront of introducing smart tourism innovations province-wide.
The pioneering “all-in-one tour” model and the “Take a Tour of Yunnan with Just a Mobile Phone” app are prime examples of cutting-edge smart tourism in China.
Su Ruiping is director of the ICT Development Sector of the Yunnan Provincial Communication Management Bureau.
Speaking on the Grand Stage of the Culture and Sports Square in Heshun yesterday, Su said that the Yunnan government plans to promote development of world-class smart tourism destinations across the province. Building a fully digital Yunnan will help realise this ambitious goal.
She said that 10 provincial departments, including the Department of Culture and Tourism and the Development and Reform Commission, issued a joint implementation plan for “Internet Plus Tourism” in Yunnan province. The 2021 plan sets out a road map for building high quality tourism services and infrastructure.
She said that according to the plan, cloud services, WiFi networks and public data terminals became available last year. Also, a selection of scenic spots designed to show off the new digital model would be in operation by 2025 and the hope is for smart tourism to draw millions of visitors to the province.
Su said that the province will continue to market its intelligent infrastructure while expanding tourism services.
She added that with the advent of smart digital technologies, the progress of culture and tourism is picking up steam across the province. It is already satisfying the growing demand for sightseeing and leisure among travellers.
Su said that the provincial government is upgrading the “Take a Tour of Yunnan with Just a Mobile Phone” app to offer even smarter services. The plan is to improve and enrich tourist experiences, and to develop the new provincial digital platform into a national or perhaps even a globalised platform.
She noted the plan will further improve the tourism data centre, integrate the all-in-one service platform and establish a tourist service system based on monitoring tourist experiences.
Also, she said that more national scenic spots will be built to showcase the advantages of smart tourism. Prime tourist attractions will be developed into intelligent scenic spots and continuous 5G coverage will be provided at tourist attractions and resorts across the province.
Su said that Yunnan province has developed a new information service system by leveraging connectivity, computing power, adding new capabilities and launching innovative applications such as 5G-enabled tourism and 5G-powered biodiversity protection.
She added that 5G has been integrated with technologies and products such as the Internet of Things (IoT), including virtual reality, augmented reality and digital twinning to drive the commercial use of applications like 5G smart guides and immersive tourism that are made possible by 5G and VR/AR.
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| The Culture and Sports Square in Heshun Town, Yunnan. KT/Buth Reaksmey Kongkea |
Chang Zaifei, Deputy Chief of Tourism and Culture in Tengchong City, said that Heshun town first launched its smart tourism project in 2020 and went into operation in November 2021.
She said that 5G networks deliver very high speeds, millisecond-level latency, ultra-large bandwidth along with excellent reliability and security.
High-altitude HD cameras, one-click alarm systems, fire monitoring systems, water and air quality monitoring systems and AI-based tourist heatmaps have been deployed in every corner of Heshun.
She said that the 5G networks integrate different types of data into the town’s smart platform without damaging local infrastructure. This enables the smart management of scenic spots and improves the provincial government’s ability to protect cultural relics, the environment, and tourist safety.
She added that Heshun Town has also applied AI creatively to smart tourism projects, which has helped tourists to have imaginary conversations with important historic figures.
Chang Zaifei said that the Holographic Projection Experience Zone in the tourist centre allows visitors to enjoy true-to-life views of local scenery in just five minutes.
Technologies such as 5G, 3D digital animation, and VR/AR are taking tourism in Heshun to a whole new level and the new cultural dimensions they offer are highlighting the story of the town’s long history.
She said that technologies such as 5G, VR/AR, IoT and big data are seeing broader adoption at scenic spots, including smart facilities like self-service ticket vending machines and even leisure benches with charging functions. Some sites feature self-service photo printers and smart water dispensers. All of these conveniences help tourists to enjoy an enriched travel experience.
Chang said that Smart tourism in Yunnan has created a significant tangible value for the ancient town of Heshun. There are 110 restaurants, over 1,000 shops and more than 500 hotels with about 6,500 beds.
Thanks to the arrival of smart tourism, more than 4,000 locals are now leading better, more profitable lives.
The future is bright. Moving forward, a high-precision digital map will be developed to integrate digital information from more than 60 hotels and 1,000 merchants.
Chang added that Tengchong City is ramping up its effort to develop smart tourism in Heshun Town and the effort immediately paid off in tangible economic benefits over the past year, which saw Tengchong’s GDP increasing by 5.6% in only one year.
Consumer prices and retail prices also increased by 2.1% and 3.9% annually.
Last year, the city received over 16 million tourists, which represents a huge increase of 47.8% compared to the previous year, 2021.
The city’s total revenue from tourism was up 38.3% annually. Sales in the accommodation and catering sectors increased by 7.5% and 5%, respectively.
Heshun Town is an ancient heritage village located four kilometres southwest of Tengchong city centre in Yunnan, China.
Heshun is well known for its quadrangle courtyards that have been built into the town’s hills.
The town was founded six centuries ago and has evolved from a unique blend of different local and foreign cultural influences.
Its special history has afforded the flowering of tourism amid an abundance of natural and architectural attractions.
Heshun has won many awards for its beautiful scenery and unique history and culture. On May 19 this year, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism designated Heshun to be the premier venue for “China Tourism Day”.
* Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
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