The Sichuan Provincial Culture and Tourism Development Conference was held in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, China on April 29, 2019. The event was hosted by the provincial government and Party Committee of Sichuan province, and organized by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. During the event, awards and recognition were given to 10 counties and districts within the city of Chengdu known for their popularity among tourists, 20 towns in Sichuan province known for their unique cultures and tourism resources and eight leading culture and tourism companies in the province for their outstanding contributions to the sector. In addition, select groups and individuals were honored with the Golden Panda award for their exceptional work in promoting Sichuan as a key tourism destination in both the Chinese and international markets. Over the next five years, the provincial government plans to transform Sichuan into a tourism destination highly integrated with its rich culture, for the accessibility of that culture to the local populace and to travelers alike and, generally speaking, as a recognized tourism destination that should be any serious traveler's "must-see list". Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190430/2451172-1 (Caption:Pandas from Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve) The government also plans to expand the scope of its "Sichuan, more than pandas" campaign in order raise the visibility of the province as a key tourism destination in international markets. As part of the campaign, the China (Sichuan) Giant Panda International Cultural Tourism Week will be held each year in at least two countries and regions, with the aim of promoting the province's unique local culture to the world, especially Sichuan Opera, the landscape and the cuisine, as well as some of the province's signature products, including its festive lanterns, teas and distilled liquors. The same campaign will also capitalize on the province's unique position in the world as the home of pandas. In addition, the government plans to work with local culture and tourism companies in establishing marketing centers in overseas markets. The province already attracts numerous tourists from around the world due to its abundance of cultural and tourism resources, most notably the Sanxingdui Ruins, Jiuzhaigou National Park and the giant panda sanctuaries. According to available data, Sichuan province's tourism revenue broke the 1 trillion yuan (US$148.5 billion) mark for the first time to reach a record 1.01 trillion yuan (US$150.0 billion) in 2018, representing a year on year increase of 13.4 per cent. The value add as a result of the province's cultural sector totaled 150 billion yuan (approx. US$22 billion) last year, growing 16.1 per cent year on year. With the deeper integration of culture and tourism, the two sectors are becoming a key driving force behind the province's economic growth. SOURCE: Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism