Magic City Study Tour for Hong Kong and Macao Youth

Recently, Chongqing's study tour product "A Visit to Magic City and City of Mountain and Water—Exploring China's Youngest Municipality" was selected among the "2021 Potential Products of Chinese Mainland Study Tour for Hong Kong and Macao Youth" by the Chinese Mainland Study Tour Alliance for Hong Kong and Macao Youth. As Chongqing's first study tour product passing national review, "A Visit to Magic City and City of Mountain and Water—Exploring China's Youngest Municipality" will be promoted and exhibited to youth and study tour organizations in Hong Kong, Macao, and Chinese mainland as one of the major products of the Chinese Mainland Study Tour Alliance for Hong Kong and Macao Youth in 2022. This will play a great role in promoting the development of Chongqing's inbound study tour tourism and strengthening exchanges with Hong Kong and Macao youth.

Over the past years, Chongqing has assigned great importance to develop inbound study tour tourism over the past years. By focusing on the key fields such as building study tour bases, developing products, cultivating entities, and fostering talents, Chongqing has worked to develop an international study tour tourism system strategically and joined the Chinese Mainland Study Tour Alliance for Hong Kong and Macao Youth and other international study tour organizations. Thus, Chongqing's international study tour tourism has seen robust growth.

Multiple highlights of Chongqing's international study tour routes

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the whole city, Chongqing has effectively utilized local abundant Bayu historical and cultural heritage and centrally distributed unique tourism resources and successfully developed an international study tour product system including "A Magic City of Mountain and Water," "Splendid Three Gorges," and "Stunning Geological Wonders on the Earth." In particular, the red tourism represented by Hongyan Spirit has been listed in the 100 red boutique routes to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in cooperation with the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the National Development and Reform Commission. In 2019, the Hong Kong–Chongqing Youth Exchange Promotion Association visited Chongqing to investigate Chongqing's study tour product routes. During the visit, the MoU on Cultural and Art Exchanges among Chongqing, Hong Kong, and Macao was signed to jointly promote study tours and cultural exchanges among the youth in Chongqing, Hong Kong, and Macao. In 2021, the "Beautiful China - Experience with Heart & Eyes" Online Promotion Conference was held during which travel service providers from Hong Kong, and Macao had special exchanges around Chongqing's inbound study tour tourism, and intentions of cooperation were reached.

Great headway made by Chongqing in international study tour bases

Chongqing has established an international study tour base matrix covering different functions and positionings based on differentiation, functionality, and marketization principles. Over the past years, Chiyou Jiuli City in Pengshui County and Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum as bases for exchanges with Taiwan youth, study tour base in Dazu Rock Carvings as a base for exchanges with Hong Kong youth, as well as other study tour bases with distinctive themes such as Antao Town in Rongchang, Hongyan Revolution History Museum, and Chongqing Natural History Museum have been built. In 2019, supported by Chongqing Municipal People's Government, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development cooperated with Chongqing Municipal Education Commission to establish Chongqing's first international youth research tourism base in Chongqing Children's Library. A series of international study tour activities, including the Bayu Culture Experience Camp for Chinese and American Youth and the "Planting a Forest together for Carbon Neutrality," was conducted, which met with widespread praise from both home and abroad.

Innovative international study tour activities conducted by Chongqing against the new situation

Despite the ongoing COVID-19, Chongqing has never stopped international study tour exchanges. Both online and offline study tour practice activities covering diverse forms and fields have been held, focusing on international students and Hong Kong and Macao students in the Chinese mainland. In 2021, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development held the "Love of Nature in All Four Seasons" Chongqing, Hong Kong, and Macao Youth Exchange Activity together with the Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government, the Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, and partners in Hong Kong and Macao, attracting more than 3,000 participants including primary school, high school, and university students and relevant people from Chongqing, Hong Kong, and Macao; during the Dragon Boat Festival, Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development and Chongqing Municipal Education Commission organized over 50 university students from Hong Kong and Macao in the Chinese mainland to hold the "Happy Dragon Boat Festival" Study Tour Activity, letting Chinese youth experience Chinese culture and charm in practice.

Next, Chongqing will take full advantage of the promotion opportunities brought by Chongqing's study tour product being selected by the Chinese Mainland Study Tour Alliance for Hong Kong and Macao Youth. Chongqing will strengthen the international promotion of all the study tour products in the city, enhance online and offline study tour exchange practice with foreign countries as well as China's Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan and focus on the implementation of major study tour projects such as "Southwest China in Image," thus delivering effective results in international youth exchanges and boosting the international renown and reputation of Chongqing.