Copy Reference On November 27，the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival opened in Fuzhou，capital of south China's Fujian Province．Highlighting joint efforts to pave the modern Maritime Silk Road and develop cultural and tourism industries，the event was conducted online and offline simultaneously．It was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the People's Government of Fujian Province，and was organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province and the People's Government of Fuzhou City．The event will run until the end of the year.
Online and Offline Activities
On the morning of November 27，the launch ceremony of the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival & “Fujian Tour”Carnival was held at the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center．Guests from around the world participated in the ceremony online．Officials from embassies and consulates of more than 40 countries along the Maritime Silk Road（MSR）attended the gathering while some overseas guests unable to attend due to the COVID-19 sent congratulatory videos and letters to the organizing committee.
At the opening ceremony，China Tourism Academy released a report on MSR tourism．The report，considered a barometer for the cultural and tourism industries，provides reference for precise implementation of policies to recover cultural and tourism industries in countries and regions along the MSR in the post-pandemic stage.
According to the report，China's market for MSR tourism is highly recognized by potential tourists，providing a relatively good foundation for recovery．China's domestic market could effectively absorb tourists who would have made a foreign trip if not for COVID-19．Tourists showed solid enthusiasm for traveling the MSR．Fuzhou，in particular，enjoys abundant cultural and tourism resources and has become a popular destination for tourists to feel MSR culture.
On the afternoon of November 27，the Summit on Cultural and Tourism Economics commenced under the theme “Sharing New Business Opportunities in Maritime Silk Road Tourism.”Experts and representatives from cultural and tourism industries attended to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue on various issues．They discussed international cooperation on MSR tourism，proposed construction of a communal cultural and tourism economy with a shared future through cooperation mechanisms among cities，and offered suggestions on helping countries along the MSR overcome the pandemic and revive tourism.
The director of the Guangzhou Office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand（TAT）noted that Thailand is an important country along the MSR．In recent years，MSR countries have been enhancing cooperation in tourism，forming a framework that benefits all participating countries．COVID-19 pummeled Thailand's tourism sector，and TAT is seeking to rehabilitate and develop Thai tourism through cooperation.
For the People
The Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival has always sought to benefit the people．This year，the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province launched the “Fujian Tour”Carnival which features nearly 600 themed activities relating to tourism，culture，intangible cultural heritage exhibitions，and promotion of tourism etiquette．Authorities also rolled out policies and measures on resuming work and production，encouraging consumption，and supporting travel agencies’ endeavors to generate tourists，as well as measures to benefit those whose livelihoods depend on tourist attractions．Fujian also organized promotion activities and issued discount coupons worth 10 million yuan（US$1.5 million）to boost tourism．From November 26 to the next March，everyone in Fuzhou can get big discounts by registering with the UnionPay app.
The Double 11 Tourism Promotion was launched in early November alongside a series of measures to encourage domestic travel．To upgrade both tourism and consumption，Chinese travel platforms organized activities and sponsored exhibitions and exchange related to MSR tourism．Xiamen Air and Fuzhou Airlines launched “One Yuan Flights to Fuzhou”and relevant promotional activities to help revive the cultural and tourism economy in Fuzhou.
The central activities of the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival include a Summit on the Cultural and Tourism Economy，Double 11 Tourism Promotion，and an Exhibition of Tourism Life in Fujian Province．Activities took place both online and offline．Other activities include the 11th Hot Spring International Tourism Festival，Fuzhou Fair on Cultural Tourism Products for Traveling Sales Procurement，and Maritime Silk Road Tourism Promotion Conference.
Boosting Industrial Development
The influence of the Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival has been increasing since it was first organized in 2015．A major tourism event with international influence，it has fostered emergence of a new regional tourism cooperation platform and numerous examples of win-win cooperation among countries along the MSR and neighboring countries．Statistics show that in 2019，tourist flow to Fuzhou from 11 countries and regions along the Belt and Road increased by 83.9 percent over 2015.
The annual Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival marks the start of the city's “Golden Tourism Month”of the year．It has become an ideal platform for Fuzhou to promote key tourism projects for domestic and foreign clients，expand channels for tourism investment and financing，and drive the cultural and tourism industry to upgrade and develop vigorously.
In 2018，Fuzhou launched a three-year action plan on “all-for-one”tourism aiming to make the city a top destination for leisure，health，and resorts for Chinese and foreign tourists alike．The action plan seeks to accelerate construction of major cultural and tourism projects，enrich the “tourism＋”business model，and promote rapid development of cultural and tourism industries．Total current investment in key cultural and tourism projects in Fuzhou has reached 47 billion yuan（US$7.2 billion），and several promising projects have emerged.
To create a comprehensive tourism framework，on the basis of the three-year action plan，authorities in Fuzhou are also working to accelerate poverty-reduction projects，implement a three-year upgrade drive for A-level tourist attractions，and vigorously promote tourism brands across four major categories: local culture，hot springs，ecology，and coastal holiday resorts．The “tourism＋”model has been continuously integrated into historical and cultural districts and demonstration sites for rural tourism，which has yielded fruits.
The opening ceremony of the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival on November 27，2020.（LIN SHANCHUAN）
Wooden artifacts displayed at the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival．（LIN SHANCHUAN）
Dance performance at the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival．（LIN SHANCHUAN）
Lacquerware on display at the 6th Maritime Silk Road（Fuzhou）International Tourism Festival．（LIN SHANCHUAN）