Scientific and Technological Tours Shed New Light on Beijing

China's entry into the World Trade Organization will bring about limitless opportunities for Beijing's high-tech industry, represented by information technology. And the Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, which is under construction, will provide much scope for Haidian District's tourism development, according to Liu Xixiong, director of the Haidian District Tourism Administration.

The Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park will be ideal for hosting scientific and technological tours, business tours and convention tours, Liu noted.

In the years to come, Haidian District will further tap the potential of the industrial park, and make full use of its advantages in high technology, agriculture, information, astronautics, pharmaceuticals and film and TV to development high-tech tour programs with unique characteristics. The district has already launched several tourist routes focusing on seismology, astronautics, and modern agricultural science and technology. Highlights include the Qinghua University Library, Beijing Seismic datum point, Physical Culture University, and Sightseeing Garden.

Besides launching science and technology tours, Haidian will exert greater efforts to develop tourism products with high added value.

Take the Beijing Splendid Land Agricultural Sightseeing Garden, for example. Since its opening to tourists on April 20, 1999, it has received 60,000 visitors, and make nearly 800,000 yuan in income from admission fees; other income from selling pollution-free vegetables and catering amounted to two million yuan. The garden has become famous, and it is evident that science and technology tours can both spread information and build up the image of enterprises.

Meanwhile, this June the Haidian District Tourism Administration will hold the first Science and Technology Tourism Festival.

Jiangsu Sets Up Marine Scenic Area

A scenic area featuring sunrise on the sea is under development in Jiangsu Province.

Yuantoujiao in Yinyang Town, Qidong City, is where people can first see sunrise in Jiangsu Province. The marine scenery at Yuantoujiao is fascinating, and Qixingsha, east of red-crowned cranes, is a habitat of the red-crowned crane. Experts say that one twentieth of the world's red-crowned cranes, a national top-class protected bind species,dwell here, The first-phase project of the Yuantuojiao Scenic Area will feature beach sightseeing, sea sightseeing, and clam and spiral shell collecting.Tourists will be able to view the sunrise from the Guanri Tower, and gaze on the tidal waters of the Yangtze River, the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. They can also enjoy barbecues, games picnicking, angling, hunting and other forms of entertainment, The second-phase project will concentrate on the development of villas and amusement facilities. The planned villa zone will cover 66,000 square meters, and in the amusement zone there will be a bathing beach, angling pond, forest belt, motorboat amusement park, and cruises on the sea.

Nanjing Protects VIP Residences of the Republic of China Period

A unique attraction in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province --an area with many VIP residences of the Republic of China Period(1911-1949)--is to be put under the protection of the local government.

There are many heritage sites of the Republic of China Period in Nanjing, including residences and villas of Kuomintang leaders and foreign diplomats. These buildings possess not only historical value, but also academic value as architetural art.

There are more than 200 well-preserved residences of this kind on Yihe Road and Xikang Road. Most of these buildings were designed by leading architects who combined classical and modern architectural styles, a testimony to the rise and fall of an age.

The local government is to promulgate decrees on the protection of these building. According to the initial plan, the buildings will be classified into five categories, Protective measures will be taken in line with their different conditions.

Hong Kong and Guangzhou Discuss Tourism Development Strategy

People from tourism circles in Hong Kong and Guangzhou gathered at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center to discuss tourism development strategies, and to promote the New Millennium China 2000(Guangzhou)program.

According to officials from the Guangzhou Municipal Tourism Administration, while the China National Tourism Administration holds the New China Millennium 2000 program, Guangzhou will carry out a series of corresponding activities, adding new luster to the famous ancient city in southern China.

Tourism personnel from Hong Kong said that they will strengthen exchanges with Guangzhou in joint market promotion and tourism product development, to create more opportunities for widening the scope of cooperation.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland over two years ago, the tourism circles of Guangzhou and Hong Kong have made closer contacts and exchanges in the field of tourism have kept increasing.

From January to October 1999, tourists from Guangzhou to HOng Kong exceeded 100,000. an increase of 51.7 percent over the same period of the previous year, while Guangzhou received 1.3 million Hong Kong tourists, making up 50 percent of overseas tourists to Guangzhou.

Baise Becomes a New Popular Attraction

In 1999, more than 400,000 tourists visited Baise in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on tours of "Following in Deng Xiaoping's Footsteps."

The tours were introduced by the government of Guangxi to accelerate the local tourism industry.Baise has become an important area for Guangxi's tourism development. and these tours have been listed among Guangxi's top ten choice tourist routes. The main attraction include the Yuedong Guilddhall (the site of the headquarters of the Seventh Red Army). the site of the Youjiang Workers' and Peasants' Democratic Government, the Baise Uprising Monument and the Qingfeng Tower. All these are historical sites under top national protection.

Huangniuyan Scenic Area to Be Set Up

The Huangniuyan Scenic Area, covering nearly 140 square kilometers and featuring ecological tours, is to be set up in the Xiling Gorge on the Yangtze River.

The scenic area will be the scene of the "seeking Roots" Tour, Summer Leisure Tour in the Shipai Tourist Zone, Chexi and Mount Tianzhu Scientific Expedition Tour. These programs will combine the natural scenery of the Three Gorges with visits to two modern conservancy projects (the Three Gorges and Gezhou dams), Tujia ethnic folklore, and investigation of Three Gorges geology and vegetation.