-The city has launched an initiative for enhanced cooperation among the world's 
four well-known destinations for the beauty of their flowers

Xinghua, a county-level city in Jiangsu province, China, is an ideal 
destination for visitors to enjoy the blossoming of chrysanthemum and delicacy 
of hairy crabs. The 2019 New Era Jiangsu Tourism Development Forum was held 
there on October 15. Government officials at all levels, as well as tourism 
professionals and representatives from media organizations both in and outside 
of China, were invited to take part in the event and enjoy the water towns that 
populate the area and surrounding beautiful scenery as well as to discuss the 
future direction of the tourism industry. Meanwhile, an initiative for enhanced 
economic cooperation among the world's four well-known destinations for the 
beauty of their flowers was launched by the local government at the event. 

With a focus on rural lifestyle-themed tourism offerings, Xinghua has 
accelerated the transformation of the tourism industry, enabling visitors to 
immerse themselves in local iconic attractions such as the Xinghua Duotian 
Agrosystem and Water Forest Park.

The Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem, a distinctive world-level wonder for its unique 
water-land utilization method in low-lying land and its splendid raised field 
landscape, has been recognized as one of the Globally Important Agricultural 
Heritage Systems by the FAO. Taking advantage of the vast sea of flowers that 
form part of the Xinghua Duotian Agrosystem, Xinghua launched an initiative 
calling for enhanced international exchanges and economic cooperation with the 
lavender gardens of Provence, cherry blossoms of Tokyo and tulip gardens of the 
Netherlands, with the aim of achieving financially win-win results based on 
further development of destinations known for their flowers around the world. 

Representatives from French, Dutch and Japanese tourism organizations operating 
in China respectively expressed their support for the initiative and intent to 
join in the collaboration. Chinese tourism service providers including 
Tongcheng Tourism, Ctrip, Tuniu and Lvmama said they would contribute their 
advantages in resources and channels to facilitate the development of an 
"industry cluster" based on the flower fields and related tours.  

The integration of culture and tourism is based on a profound cultural 
heritage. Xinghua is home to 92 historical and cultural sites, among which, 
three are key state-level sites, 12 are at the provincial level and 77 are at 
the county level. The town is also home to 124 projects directly related to the 
conservation of intangible cultural heritage, among them, the Maoshan haozi (a 
style of folk song performed to synchronized movements), Moashan boat racing 
and Zhuhong Town wooden boats. Xinghua has also been the birthplace of many of 
China's luminaries over the centuries, including 14th century writer Shi 
Nai'an, 18th century painter Zheng Banqiao, 19th century Qing Dynasty 
scholar-official Liu Xizai, novelist Bi Feiyu, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge 
chief architect Lin Ming and leading hematologist and Medical School of 
Shanghai Jiao Tong University tenured professor Wang Zhenyi.

Xinghua party secretary Li Weiguo said during his presentation on the unique 
characteristics of Xinghua: "Xinghua is a city featuring abundant water 
resources. Serving as a model for the country's ecological protection on a 
nationwide scale, the city is becoming a national model for ecological and 
cultural development. Xinghua is well-known across China for its "seas of 
flowers" and beautiful natural scenery. The city boasts a profound cultural 
heritage and positive educational environment. Its strong position in terms of 
environmental protection coupled with the deep heritage paves the way for the 
prosperous development of the city's tourism industry. 

https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191023/2616582-1 

SOURCE: Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Xinghua Taizhou