Yichang, Hubei province

Yichang, with its history, culture and natural beauty, is worth exploring

The second largest city in Hubei province, central China, Yichang is blessed and cursed with its proximity to the Three Gorges Dam.
Lying on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it is just 40 kilometers from the world's largest dam project, which attracts visitors from China and abroad, most of whom bypass the city on their way to see it.

Yichang, which at one time was the gateway to the Yangtze River, is used by the majority of tourists simply as the end point of a Three Gorges river cruise and seldom seen as an attraction in itself or a point for launching trips further downstream.

Three-night river cruises from Chongqing to Yichang, usually end with a rapid exit to Wuhan and other major cities without even a night in Yichang.

But the city offers a wealth of attractions for visitors to explore, with a history that stretches back 4,000 years. Among them are numerous historical and cultural spots, as well as scenes of natural beauty that could have come straight out of a work of art.

It is the birthplace of Chu culture, the hometown of the famous Chinese beauty Wang Zhaojun who lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) and of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan from the Warring States Period (475-221BC).

Using its proximity to the Three Gorges Dam as leverage, Yichang now hopes to draw tourists in to experience its abundant attractions in an effort to boost tourism to the city by 2020.

Here are some of Yichang's main attractions:

1. Qingjiang River

This national forest park is fast becoming one of Yichang's more popular tourist attractions. Located in Changyang Tujia Ethnic Group Autonomous County of Yichang, it was named one of China's 5A-class scenic spots, the nation's top level, in January 2013.

In fact, Qingjiang River encompasses all the scenic spots between Geheyan Dam and Yanchi Spring along the Qingjiang River.

The river originates in Longdonggou, an area of Lichuan city in western Hubei province, and flows through Enshi county, Changyang county, and Badong county, before emptying into the Yangtze River.

There is an old Chinese saying that "The 800-li Qingjiang River is as beautiful as a painting." (Li is a unit of length equal to 0.5 kilometers) The area is famous for its magnificent mountains and rivers and offers great opportunities for hiking or boat trips.

Qingjiang River is also regarded as the mother river of the Tujia people who live in the area. The Tujia are known for their singing and traditional Baishou Dance, a 500-year-old collective dance that uses 70 ritual gestures to represent war, farming, hunting, courtship and other aspects of traditional life. Regular performances are put on for visitors

2. The Three-Gorges Tribe Scenic Spot

The Three-Gorges Tribe Scenic Spot, also known as the Three Gorges Household, is officially designated as a "Protected Center of the Popular Culture and Art of the Three Gorges".

Located in Xiling Gorge, between the Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba Dam, the mountains and streams here create a scene worthy of the most beautiful landscape paintings.

Lying in the "Two Dams, One Gorge" tourism area, it is the only scenic spot in the region unaffected by the dams.

The spot has three main areas - the village on the water, the brook-side village and the mountaintop village - and is one the top 10 tourist attractions in Hubei province.

The area is blessed with abundant cultural and natural attractions. The first sight on entering it is of green mountains covered by mist against a backdrop of shimmering blue water.

For generations local people have lived off the mountains and water here, and visitors are likely to see young women singing as they pass by on sailboats, men casting nets into the water to catch fish, or women washing clothes by the riverside.

3. Three Visitors Cave and Park

Also known as Sanyou Cave, Three Visitors Cave and Park is around 10 kilometers from Yichang.

The cave wall is inscribed with poetry with a story behind it. It is said that Bai Juyi, one of China's greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), his younger brother and Yuan Zhen, another well-known poet of the time, spent some time in the cave and while there Bai inscribed a poem on the wall. This story then inspired other poets and scholars to go to the cave to inscribe their own poetry.

Also worth taking a look at in the park are views of the Yangtze River, old military defense walls, some ancient city remains and a pavilion with views of the river.

Source: China Daily

China is the world's largest outbound tourism market

China has officially become the world's largest outbound tourism market, after overtaking Germany and the US last year with an estimated 83 million overseas trips made by Chinese mainlanders, according to CRI Online — the website of state broadcaster China Radio International, citing China Tourism Academy in its 2013 report released on Wednesday.

Chinese tourists spent US$102 billion offshore last year, totalling 83 million tourists, over 18% more than the previous year and equal to the population of Germany, and four times that of Australia, said Jiang Yiyi, a leading researcher at the academy.

The country's outbound tourism has seen a lot of changes, said Jiang, including the steady rise in the number of tourists wanting to explore outside of the country and to regions outside of Asia, adding that people's economic situation has also improved.

Jiang projects China's outbound tourists this year will grow 15% to 94.3 million, and their spending to increase to 20% and US$118 billion.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said many foreign countries have relaxed restrictions on Chinese tourists, allowing them greater freedom to visit new countries. Last year, Australia approved 94% of visa for Chinese individuals and business tourists, a record high. The US has also increase the amount of visas approved to Chinese tourists by 40% with plans to process visa applications for 2.2 million Chinese nationals this year alone, Dai added.

China's outbound tourism accounts for a significant proportion of the global travel market and has become a new engine for growth. But many Chinese tourists have reported consumer fraud and expressed dissatisfaction at high traveling prices, and insufficient Chinese-language services, said Dai, adding that he hopes the international community can do more to offer better services.

The report also included a customer satisfaction survey with Chinese tourists giving an average satisfaction rating of 78.07 for their experience overseas or averagely satisfied. The survey focused on 22 foreign destinations, with Canada receiving the highest satisfaction level, followed by Italy, Spain and New Zealand.

Source: Want China Times

The old town of Phoenix

The old town of Phoenix is like an impressive community living on the banks of the Tuojiang River.  The town is situated on the western boundary of Hunan Province.

The unique lifestyle has long fascinated visitors, as has the town's enchanting scenery and peaceful atmosphere. It's free to enter the old town but some cultural relic buildings and notable residents' homes still have admission charges.

Source: Photo/bbs.fengniao

Chinese airlines’ profits hurt by weaker travel demand

Chinese airlines are seeing their profits fall as travel demand weakens amid higher fuel prices and slower economic growth.

Air China Ltd. (601111.SH), China's biggest carrier by market value, reported an 85.7 percent drop in net income to 239 million yuan during the first quarter.

Another state-owned carrier, China Southern Airlines Co. Ltd. (600029.SH), the nation's biggest by fleet size, saw its Q1 net income tumble by 74 percent to 319 million yuan.

Both carriers said their seat occupancy rates were sharply down from the same period last year, as fleet size expansion came during a period of weakening travel demand.

Q1 profits were down also in part due to smaller foreign exchange gains after the yuan halted advances against the U.S. dollar that had pared the value of debts from buying aircrafts.

Air China said its currency gains in Q1 were 586 million yuan less than a year earlier.

China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. (600115.SH), another one of China's three state-owned carriers, said it expected its profit to fall by more than 50 percent for the first 3 months of the year.

Despite its profit warning, China Eastern continues to expand its fleet size and is said to be buying 20 Boeing 777 aircraft worth a combined $6 billion.
Source: 21 Century Business Herald

Indonesia eyes more Chinese visitors

JAKARTA - Indonesia intends to double tourist arrivals from China by 2014 as bilateral relations have developed rapidly in recent years, Indonesia's Tourism Minister Mari Elka Pangestu has said.

Indonesia would like to have more flights to China, with the aim of attracting 1 million tourists from the world's second largest economy by 2014, the minister told Xinhua ahead of a Chinese leader's visit to the country.

Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is currently on a four-nation overseas tour.

The Chinese leader has visited Britain, Canada and Colombia and is expected to arrive in Indonesia on Thursday. The visit will last till Saturday.

To attract more Chinese tourists, Indonesia's leading carrier PT Garuda Indonesia has opened an office in Beijing and is planning to provide daily Jakarta-Beijing flights.

Pangestu, who is of Chinese origin, said the weakening global economy would not have a significant impact on the country's tourism industry as the government has diversified its market to emerging economies in Asia.

"We will see that Asia would not be significantly impacted by the global economic crisis. We will boost our promotion to penetrate the market in Asia, such as China, South Korea, India and Russia."

The tourism industry has been the third biggest revenue generator for Indonesia after energy and palm oil industries. The number of tourists from China coming into Indonesia was around 470,000 in 2011, according to Indonesian official figures.

Indonesia has been working hard to boost the competitiveness of its tourism industry that may become a new engine of economic growth.

Jakarta has asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to speed up implementation of a common visa for the 10-nation bloc in a bid to boost tourism.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago country with 17,508 islands, boasts cultural and ethnic diversity, natural sights and historical heritage.

The beauty and uniqueness of the island country attracted 7.65 million foreign holidaymakers last year, higher than the 7 million people in the previous year, according to the statistic agency.

Pangestu said this year Indonesia is expecting 8 million foreign tourists and the number could reach 9.5 million in 2014.

Bali island is the center of the country's tourism industry, and the Komodo dragon island is the habitat for the world's largest living species of lizards, which was declared last year as one of the world's new seven wonders by the World Seven Wonder Foundation.

The world's largest temple of Borobudur in Yogyakarta province, the beauty of coral reef in Bunaken of South Sulawesi and Lombok island, have also attracted many foreign tourists.

The country also has tourism destinations linked with the expedition of historic Chinese marine explorer and diplomat fleet admiral Cheng Ho, or Zheng He, who sailed to Indonesia over 606 years ago, years before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean looking for a sea route to Asia.

There are three mosques named "Cheng Ho Mosques" scattered around Indonesia to commemorate his visit.

Source: Xinhua

Qufu, the hometown of Confucius

Qufu is famed for its association with confucius but most visitors overlook three peaks nearby that hold natural beauty, legends and strong ties to philosopher

For visitors to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, a trip to the Three Kongs, the temple, the mansion and cemetery associated with the great philosopher, is almost obligatory.

But what most travelers overlook are three equally impressive mountains and hills that surround the city and off er respite from the tourist hordes.

The three mountains and hills of Qufu are worth a visit for their natural beauty alone, but they also hold historical and cultural treasures that make the climb a must.

1. Nishan Hill

While Qufu is famed as the city of Confucius, it was in fact on Nishan Hill that the man whose ideas have shaped China is said to have been born, in a three-meter deep cave called Kunling at the foot of the hill.

According to legend the baby Confucius was abandoned shortly after birth because his mother thought he was ugly, but was rescued by a tiger and an eagle, which later made the mother take him back.

Higher than Kunling Cave and to the west is River Watching Pavilion, from where Confucius is supposed to have watched the river fl owing and gasped at how rapidly earthly life changes.

The hill is also home to a Confucian temple that houses an old lecture hall used today solely for venerating the philosopher.

Behind the lecture hall is an earthen hall, which in ancient China was a common construction used for honoring the God of the Earth. Here, Confucius is said the have received help from the God of the Earth on his way to becoming a saint.

The educational center Nishan Academy on the hill was a site of scholarly discussion for centuries and still serves a similar purpose with school visits on occasions.

2. Nine Fairy Mountain

Like many picturesque mountains across China, Nine Fairy Mountain is associated with legend.

The story goes that the nine fairy maidens of the Queen Mother of the West escaped to the mountain while the Queen Mother was happily drunk during her birthday party. Angry at their departure, the Queen Mother then transformed the fairy maidens into nine peaks.

Today the mountain is dotted with brooks, fruit trees and agricultural land, and is a source of many medicinal herbs, no doubt having grown with the help of the nine fairies.

In ancient China, the mountain was home to many religious groups that have left their mark in the form of temples, including Confucianists, Daoists and Buddhists.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) an annual temple fair was started on the mountain in spring, drawing hundreds of peddlers, incense burners and performers. The temple fair later came to a halt during times of social unrest, but was restored by the local government in the 1990s along with several historical sites.

At the highest reaches of the mountain is the Bixia Ancestral Temple. Bixia was, according to legend, a fairy who did many kind deeds and whom local people called "grandma". A statue of Bixia stands in the temple's main hall.

Behind the temple are three stones said to emanate coolness even during the hottest summer day, making this a pleasant place to take a break.

On the northeastern section of the mountain is Phoenix Hill. With an elevation of 548 meters it is the tallest peak in Qufu.

Across the mountain it is not uncommon to see fruit laid out in the sun, including pears, dates, peaches and pomegranates. Even at harvest time in late autumn people often do this to satisfy a local liking for dried fruit.

3. Stone Gate Mountain

Stone Gate Mountain has 14 peaks, two of which sit opposite each other, creating the gate shape that gives the mountain its name. The mountain is divided into three main areas: Stone Gate Temple, Peach Dock and Yellow Mountain.

Of the 14 peaks, Shenghan Peak is the tallest at 406 meters. It is also well known for its caves and links with ancient philosophers and poets.

Confucius and his students frequented the mountain and used it as a place to study. The poets Li Bai and Du Fu also toured the mountain together.

More than 90 of the mountain is covered with forest, making its' 6 square kilometers a natural oxygen bar.

Source: China Daily

Chinese Star Shoots Movie in Israel to Boost Tourism

Chinese star Zhang Jingchu stands with her back to Judaism’s Western Wall and Islam’s Al-Aqsa mosque after shooting scenes for the film “Old Cinderella” at Christianity’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

“It is amazing that we can end this movie, which is a love story and romantic comedy, here,” she says. “I’m overwhelmed by all the people I’ve encountered.”

It is in Jerusalem, home to sites holy to the three monotheistic religions, that her character, a recently divorced tour guide, refinds her faith in life.

The Chinese production company is filming in Israel after receiving a 300,000 shekel ($83,000) investment from the government that the Tourism Ministry hopes will increase the number of tourists from one of the world’s fastest growing markets.

“We are investing in marketing, hosting journalists and have opened an agency in China. We want to put Israel on the map there,” says Sofia Prizant Pinkas, head of the Tourism Ministry’s China desk.

The star of “Old Cinderella,” who recently played the ambassador’s daughter in “Rush Hour 3,” says her friends were worried when they heard her newest job would take her to Israel.

Jerusalem's Old City, where Zhang was standing, is at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has seen its share of violence. The Old City is in east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move never recognized internationally. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a state.
Zhang said her friends' concern was out of place.

Amazing Beauty

“They said, ‘isn’t it dangerous?’ and then I sent photos and blogs back with the Dead Sea and other things and now they say, ‘that is so beautiful, it is an amazing place,’” says Zhang. “If we show it on the screen, the audience is going to say, maybe next holiday we will go to Israel.”

So impressed was she and the production company by the musicians and artists they met on the street, that they plan to incorporate the encounters into the movie, she says.

Tourism from China to Israel jumped 49 percent to nearly 20,000 visitor arrivals in the past two years, growing nearly twice as fast as the almost 20 percent growth for all of Asia, according to Tourism Ministry figures. The number of visitors from Europe increased by only 3 percent in the same period.

“The tourism potential for Israel from China is far from realized and one of the goals of the ministry for 2013 is to break into the Chinese market,” former tourism minister Stas Misezhnikov said in March.

Open Skies

Israel’s tourist industry was hit by a week-long conflict with Gaza in November 2012, which the ministry said has slowed reservations. The Cabinet this week approved an Open Skies agreement with the European Union that the Tourism Ministry said will raise incoming tourism by hundreds of thousands.

Tourism brings in about 36 billion shekels from indirect and direct revenue, with income from foreign currency standing at $4.8 billion in 2012, according to the Tourism Ministry.

According to Tourism Competitive Intelligence research, last year about 40 million international tourists chose their destination mostly because they saw a film shot in the country. About 8 million Chinese selected their destination according to what they saw in the movies, the Israeli ministry said.

The investment “is the best value for the money,” Tourism Ministry Director General Noaz Bar Nir told Bloomberg TV. “We want to double, and even more, the number of tourists this year. Maybe after this movie, the numbers will rise to hundreds of thousands of Chinese to Israel.”

Last year, according to the China Tourism Academy, 83 million Chinese traveled abroad, spending about $105 billion. The academy expects as many as 94 million Chinese to travel abroad this year. Tourism makes up about 2 percent of Israel’s gross domestic product, which largely depends on exports.

Source: Bloomberg News By Gwen Ackerman & Elliott Gotkine