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UNESCO Built Gansu’s Capacity in Implementing Sustainable Tourism
“Deep Dive on Sustainable Tourism” workshop was held in Lanzhou, from 25 to 27 March 2024 by UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, the World Bank, and the Provincial Department of Culture Tourism.
Within the framework of Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project, the workshop was developed based on key principles and concepts of sustainable tourism of UNESCO 1972 World Heritage Convention and was designed to empower Gansu local stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance the visitor experience while preserving the region’s environmental and cultural assets. Around 80 participants from Gansu provincial government, seven project cities/counties/districts of Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project, local universities and vocational institutions, heritage sites, and private sectors, and local communities joined the workshop.
The workshop commenced with Deputy Director of Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Yan Yongqiang’s opening remarks emphasizing Gansu's strides in sustainable development, and successful practices in tourism promotion that attracted a significant influx of visitors recently.
Dr. Duong Bich Hanh, UNESCO Programme Specialist for Culture, advocated for viewing tourism through a lens of sustainability, stressing the importance of aligning with the latest global concepts and principles. She highlighted the symbiotic relationship between tourism and economic growth, urging for concrete plans and innovative ideas to foster sustainable practices.
Dr. Ahmed Eiweida, World Bank Global Coordinator for Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, contributed valuable insights on engaging local communities, articulating essential lessons derived from practical experiences from past World Bank projects in China.
The introductory session delved into Gansu's rich cultural heritage and tourism assets. Ms. Ji Huilin, Director of Policy and Regulation Division, Gansu Provincial Department of culture and Tourism, elaborated on legislative measures, local regulations, and scientific planning to safeguard these resources. Prof. Ba Duoxun from Northwest Normal University offered a comprehensive analysis of the cultural and creative industries, stressing the need to amplify the visibility and market value of local cultural assets while supporting community development. Representatives from seven key project sites within Gansu, including Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Ganzhou, Lintao, Tongwei, Qin'an, and Maiji, showcased their unique cultural heritage and current status of tourism development in their locations.
Community Engagement in Tourism Development
Mr. Peter DeBrine, Leader of Sustainable Tourism Programme, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, shed light on UNESCO’s approach to cultural tourism, emphasizing the crucial role of local communities in this process. A representative from Gansu Tourism Company showcased their initiatives in crafting routes catering to diverse audiences. Prof. Gao Yafang from Lanzhou University of Arts and Science presented compelling community involvement examples in Gansu, prominently demonstrated in rural tourism initiatives. Notably, rural homestay hosts often represent the backbone of rural communities, actively participating in tourism activities. Representatives from Zhangye and Dunhuang shared their community engagement experiences.
For the group exercise, the participants were divided into three groups and tasked to design a 5-day itinerary on a chosen theme. As a result, 3 new tourism routes in 3 regions of Gansu (Northwest region including Dunhuang, Jiuquan and Zhangye, Central Gansu for Dingxi, Southeast Gansu including Tianshui and Longnan) were developed. The routes combine iconic sites with lesser-known attractions and experiences. Upon further refining, these routes can be used to provide additional options to Gansu visitors.
Planning and Management of Tourism
The second day training kicked off by Mr. DeBrine’s presentation on communicating with your visitors, providing the participants with practical suggestions for destination promotion, followed by explanation on global sustainable tourism principles and objectives, and UNESCO’s approach to world heritage and destination management. Wang Sanbei, Professor of Northwest Normal University, contributed local perspective on sustainable tourism.
Ms. Cecilie Smith-Christensen, lead developer of the UNESCO Visitor Management Assessment & Strategy Tool (VMAST) brought new perspective of climate change into tourism and visitor management and advocated for a culture of responsible tourism.
Mr. Lei Zhengguang, Deputy Director of the Culture Promotion Department of Dunhuang Academy, provided insights into Mogao Grottoes’s innovative approaches in enhancing visitor experience while managing the influx of tourists since its official opening to the public in 1979.
Mr. DeBrine then analyzed the new trends and evolving destination management strategies to address the challenges and opportunities presented by these trends. He shared several UNESCO’s innovative approaches including Heritage Journey, Sustainable Travel Pledge, and VMAST.
Under the guidance of Ms. Smith-Christensen on the UNESCO VMAST methodology, the participants identified 4 objectives that are the most important for the province: government and management system; ICH; protection of sensitive environment and environmental risks; and visitor volumes.
Advancing Sustainability through SMART Planning
The third day workshop started with the sharing of Prof. Zhao Chaozhi, UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Tourism in UNESCO Designated Sites, on China’s good practices on community participation and heritage education.
Ms. Smith-Christensen then introduced the SMART planning and guided the participants to apply the tool to identify concrete actions for each of the project sites to respond to an objective that deemed most important in their location. Seven sample projects were developed, some contributing strengthening current projects while others developed fresh ideas, all aiming to maximizing the benefits of tourism development for the local communities and heritage preservation.
Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia closed the workshop by highlighting its achievements, gained through providing the participants with hands-on experiences in applying global and national innovative approaches and tools in tourism destination management in their local context.
According to the data drawn from 30 evaluation questionnaires collected, 90% of the participants believe the capacity building workshop is very useful for their future work. They believe that the workshop brought them new concepts and approaches of sustainable tourism, particularly making them aware of the significance of community engagement. Many respondents mention the VMAST is a useful tool in planning and evaluation of their tourism initiatives.
