Guangyuan, one of Sichuan province's A-level tourist attractions, received 1.4 million tourists and 12.84 million yuan ($1.89 million) during Spring Festival holiday, experiencing 92.2 percent and 5.3 percent growth respectively, when compared with the same period in 2019.

Tourists have fun at Wangyuanshan Ski Resort on Zengjia Mountain, Guanyuan, Sichuan province. [Photo by Tang Biao]

Behind the boost in tourism are the city's efforts to accelerate the region's transformation from resource advantages to industrial advantages.

All areas of Guangyuan have improved their service awareness, especially in scenic spots. Volunteer service teams can be seen everywhere at important traffic intersections or on the narrow roads that lead to the ski resort in Zengjia town, Chaotian district.

"The area receives more than 14,000 tourists per day on average," said Huang Jindou, head of Zengjiashan Ski Resort. During peak tourist hours, the scenic area is capable of smoothly and fully implementing security services and emergency service calls.

Guangyuan pays attention to developing different characteristic tourism routes for each of the four seasons. The business plan on "Winter Tour to Guangyuan" has effectively stimulated the market.

The Sichuan Opera face fire-breathing show being performed at Qingxi ancient town in Guangyuan, Sichuan province. [Photo by Liu Huaiying]

In addition, the city has strengthened publicity in mainstream media, on high-speed trains and through other channels. Local Spring Festival cultural tourism activities have been reported on more than 90 times by more than 20 different media outlets.

Guangyuan is home to two world-class tourism resources, Dashu Road and Tangjiahe nature reserve, 22 national AAAA-level and above tourist attractions, and eight cultural relic sites under State-level protection.

Last year, it accelerated the upgrading of scenic spots. Projects such as the Jianmen Pass self-driving tour campsite were completed and put into operation on schedule. Twenty-six new deals on cultural preservation and tourism were signed, with a contract value of 23.68 billion yuan.

Visitors enjoy an immersive live-action drama show at Qingxi ancient town in Guangyuan, Sichuan province. [Photo by Liu Huaiying]

More than 200 kilometers of newly-built or renovated highways opened to traffic. The construction of tourist centers is speeding up.

A wide range of cultural tourism items have emerged. Zhaohua ancient town added naked-eye 3D time tunnels and a 7D theatre to better display porcelain and story-telling art. Zengjia Mountain built the Gecko Sports Park, Wangyuanshan Ski Resort and introduced mini trains to attract outdoor enthusiasts.

The demand for food, accommodation, shopping and entertainment has also increased rapidly, seeing the recovery of related industries, which will help to further stimulate the local tourism market.