Chongqing- How will Sichuan and Chongqing collaborate to unlock the potential in cultural tourism development, build Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor, and construct Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle? What are their major focuses? What is the next step? This article will provide you with the answers.

On October 15, the 2020 Chongqing International Expo, also known as the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle Summit Forum on Culture-Tourism Integration and the 3rd T12 Western China Culture and Tourism Industry Development Summit, was held at the main forum of the Chongqing International Culture & Tourism Industry Expo (CICTIE). Experts, scholars, and representatives of cultural tourism enterprises and departments gathered together to support cultural tourism's high-quality development in the Chengdu-Chongqing region.

The forum was sponsored by Chongqing Daily News Group, Chongqing Yuelai Investment Group, and the CICTIE Organizing Committee, and undertaken by Culture and History Institute of Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences (the Development Research Center of Chongqing Municipal People's Government), Tourism Development Center of Chongqing Daily News Group, Chongqing News Tourism Group, and T12 Travel Media Alliance of Western China.

"To turn the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor into reality, we need comprehensive planning, including the connection of travel routes, and the co-building and sharing of products. Finding routes through connecting diverse scenic spots, this is also necessary to grow the corridor into a world-class cultural tourism park." Lian An, Director of Literature and Art Research Institute of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, shared her views at the forum.

Ai considered the three high-quality routes, which were worth efforts to construct the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor.

The first route is about the Three Kingdoms culture, of which the traditional southward and northward ones, covering Deyang, Mianyang, Leshan, Guangyuan, Hanzhong, Pengshui, Zhongxian, Wanzhou, Fengjie, etc. and the newly-discovered one traverses Chengdu, Leshan, Yibin, Luzhou, Chongqing, Enshi, Yichang, etc. She thinks cultural tourism resources along those routes are abundant, and there is much to be discovered, allowing tourists to make a wide variety of travel plans.

The second route is the ancient salt road in Sichuan and Chongqing, according to Ai. The rich ancient towns, inscriptions, guild halls, and intangible cultural heritage along the way represent a promising world for archaeology, tourism, and development. Chongqing and Chengdu can co-build and share this route as well.

The third route is the one incorporating industrial construction sites left by the Three Front program. The masses of resources can be a pillar of the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor after thorough development.