Culture and tourism shows set to draw in the public

As traditional handicrafts and creative cultural products increasingly appeal to the general public, two national events are expected to further promote that development.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism held a news conference in Beijing, announcing the schedules and preparations of two major events.

While the 2023 Intangible Cultural Heritage Brand Summit will be held in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, from Thursday to Saturday, the 17th China Yiwu Cultural and Tourism Products Trade Fair will kick off in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, on March 31 and run through April 2.

At the Intangible Cultural Heritage Brand Summit, there will be an exhibition of about 35 traditional craft brands, focusing on protection, inheritance and development of China's intangible cultural heritage brands. Other exhibitions will demonstrate innovative traditional craft brands and their exquisite products.

It's the first time a performance about intangible cultural heritage will be held during the conference. There will also be themed forums and traditional costume exhibitions.

"We will organize representatives from 10 intangible cultural heritage corporations to sign cooperative agreements with partners, involving a total amount of 300 million yuan ($43.55 million). It will elevate the status of such corporations in the market and highlight the market value of intangible cultural heritage," says Liu Yumei, head of Guangzhou bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism.

"It's essential to utilize the unique role of intangible cultural heritage in enhancing cultural identity."

She says representatives from Hong Kong and Macao will participate in this conference, through which exchange and cooperation will be strengthened among the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

With an exhibition area of more than 60,000 square meters, this year's China Yiwu Cultural and Tourism Products Trade Fair has over 3,300 booths in eight themed pavilions in the fields such as leisure and creative life, esports and animation.

About 160,000 items will be displayed, an increase of 7 percent compared with last year. It's expected that more than 30,000 professional buyers and visitors will go to the exhibition.

Ten different activities will be held during the trade fair to satisfy diversified demands of people, including a spring tourism promotional event, a coffee festival and the 2023 China Tourism Commodities Competition.

The trade fair will showcase the applications of new technologies such as naked-eye, three-dimensional and augmented reality facilities in cultural and tourism scenes, offering customers a unique experience. For example, they can sip coffee in the exhibition hall, while feeling that they're "sitting among mountains "thanks to the virtual reality scene.

"The trade fair has led the development trend of the domestic cultural and tourism industry, attracting a large number of corporations in the industry," says Luo Xiaojun, deputy mayor of Yiwu.

He says it has also provided Yiwu's market with more access to new industry products, technologies and information, promoting the update of market products. It has spawned new professional exhibitions, with a significant impact on Yiwu's economic, social and industrial development.