More than 30,000 marathoners and sports fans gathered in Changchun, capital of 
Jilin Province, for an international marathon race on May 27. The combination 
of the event and tourism industry has injected vitality into the city's 
ambition to become a major sports tourism destination in China, according to 
Changchun Sports Bureau.

Located in northeast China, Changchun boasts its rich ice and snow resources 
and a pleasant climate. It is also one of the two Chinese cities that are home 
to gold medalists of both Summer and Winter Olympics. The city's sports 
administration has explored various ways to encourage its citizens to 
participate in sports, which has yielded good results. The annual international 
marathon race is on the agenda of the city's government report, which aims to 
attract more citizens to embrace a healthy lifestyle. About 70 percent of 
Changchun's revenue is invested in areas relating to its citizens' livelihood, 
so they can have a better taste of the city's development. 

Changchun has the country's oldest bases for automobile industry and film 
production, and is the cradle of industries such as railway vehicles, 
photoelectric technology, applied chemistry and biological products. Thanks to 
its geographic advantage as the center of Northeast Asia, the city government 
is stepping up opening-up and revitalization, making tourism its pillar 
industry for development.

The city government has elevated sports as a top priority to build a "healthy 
Changchun" to improve awareness, fitness and living standard of its citizens, 
which has been recognized by the World Health Organization. Changchun's 
practice has offered useful reference in China's aspiration to become a "sports 
power". 

Changchun citizens now can find a fitness site within eight minutes of walk, 
and talk to sports administrators in their neighborhoods. Besides, the 
government has reserved large tracts of land for sports facilities. Citizens 
can book sports venues and find gym mates online. The sport population in 
Changchun exceeds 51 percent, which provides an important foundation for the 
city's goal of building a top events and sports tourism destination.

Changchun is famous for the kindness from its people, and has hosted the 
international cross-country ski festival, Vasaloppet China, for 17 consecutive 
years. The city's landscapes, citizens' enthusiasm and humanistic environment 
have impressed marathoners from China and abroad over the past three years. The 
quota for this year's marathon, over 30,000, was booked up within 24 hours.

"The marathon race has deeply integrated with Changchun's urban 
characteristics, offering marathoners more opportunities for participation, 
training and tourism, as the sector expands," said Liu Haiyu, head of the 
city's sports bureau.

Source: Changchun Sports Bureau