Greenview Cultural Tourism: A Complete Interpretation of 45 National-Level Tourist Resorts

Greenview Introduction: According to the universal definition in the national standard 'Classification of Tourist Resort Grades' (GB/T26358-2010), a tourist resort 'refers to a relatively complete cluster of vacation facilities with good resource and environmental conditions, capable of meeting tourists' leisure needs such as rest, recreation, sports, intellectual enrichment, and entertainment.' In December 2019, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's 'Measures for the Administration of National-Level Tourist Resorts' provided a new definition: 'A tourist resort is an area that provides vacation and leisure services to tourists, with clearly defined spatial boundaries and an independent management agency.' This new definition defines the resort from its functions, space, and management.

Greenview Cultural Tourism believes that national-level tourist resorts are another golden signboard reflecting China's tourism service level, following 5A-level scenic spots. Together with 5A-level scenic areas, they represent the highest levels of China's tourism vacation products and sightseeing products. These two have become the twin engines driving China's tourism development. Tourist resorts have become another 'power train' driving high-quality tourism development in China, following national 5A scenic areas.

Policy Review of National-Level Tourist Resorts

In 1992, the 'State Council Notice on Trial Establishment of National Tourist Resorts' initiated the nearly 30-year development path of tourist resorts at the national level. Over these 30 years, China has successively issued relevant documents such as 'Classification of Tourist Resort Grades,' 'Measures for the Administration of Tourist Resort Grades,' and 'Measures for the Administration of National-Level Tourist Resorts,' which together constitute the 'three treasures' of [standard + detailed rules + management measures], creating a scientific and complete path for the creation, evaluation, and withdrawal of national-level tourist resorts.

1. Formal Proposal: In August 1992, the 'State Council Notice on Trial Establishment of National Tourist Resorts' formally proposed the construction of national tourist resorts.

2. Orderly Promotion: In December 2009, the State Council issued 'Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Tourism Industry,' proposing orderly promotion of national tourist resort development.

3. Standard Setting: In April 2011, the national standard 'Classification of Tourist Resort Grades' was issued, becoming a normative and guiding document for tourist resorts.

4. Dynamic Mechanism: In January 2015, the '2015 National Tourism Work Conference Work Report' proposed implementing the national standard certification for tourist resorts, selecting a batch of qualified provincial-level tourist resorts to be officially recognized as national-level. In April 2015, the former National Tourism Administration issued the 'Measures for the Administration of Tourist Resort Grades,' becoming the initial dynamic evaluation mechanism for national-level resorts.

5. Official Launch: In 2015, the former National Tourism Administration's 'Notice on Carrying Out the Evaluation of National-Level Tourist Resorts' officially launched the evaluation work for national-level tourist resorts.

6. First Batch List: In September 2015, the first batch of 17 resorts became the first national-level tourist resorts. They include: Changbai Mountain Tourist Resort (Jilin), Tangshan Hot Spring Tourist Resort, Tianmu Lake Tourist Resort, Yangcheng Lake Peninsula Tourist Resort (Jiangsu), Ningbo Dongqian Lake Tourist Resort, Huzhou Taihu Lake Tourist Resort, Xianghu Tourist Resort (Zhejiang), Phoenix Island Tourist Resort, Haiyang Tourist Resort (Shandong), Yaoshan Hot Spring Tourist Resort (Henan), Wudang Tai Chi Lake Tourist Resort (Hubei), Huitang Hot Spring Tourist Resort (Hunan), Eastern Overseas Chinese Town Tourist Resort (Guangdong), Fairy Mountain Tourist Resort (Chongqing), Qionghai Tourist Resort (Sichuan), Yangzonghai Tourist Resort, Xishuangbanna Tourist Resort (Yunnan).

7. Second Batch List: In 2017, the second batch of 9 units was officially announced as national-level tourist resorts. They include: Yalong Bay Tourist Resort (Sanya, Hainan), Anji Lingfeng Tourist Resort (Huzhou, Zhejiang), Penglai Tourist Resort (Yantai, Shandong), Yabuli Ski Tourist Resort (Harbin, Heilongjiang), Yixing Yangxian Eco-Tourist Resort (Wuxi, Jiangsu), Guling Tourist Resort (Fuzhou, Fujian), Mingyueshan Wentang Tourist Resort (Yichun, Jiangxi), Chaohu Bantang Hot Spring Health Resort (Hefei, Anhui), Chishui River Valley Tourist Resort (Zunyi, Guizhou), Lulang Town Tourist Resort (Nyingchi, Tibet).

8. Third Batch List: In 2019, the national-level tourist resorts welcomed a new batch of 4 new members. They include: Tianfu Qingcheng Health and Leisure Tourist Resort (Chengdu, Sichuan), Yangshuo Yulong River Tourist Resort (Guilin, Guangxi), Fuxian Lake Tourist Resort (Yuxi, Yunnan), Bavarian Manor (Heyuan, Guangdong).

9. Standardized Management: In December 2019, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the 'Measures for the Administration of National-Level Tourist Resorts.' By standardizing the recognition and management of national-level tourist resorts, it promotes the continuous enrichment of vacation and leisure product supply, improvement of service and management quality, and continuous enhancement of construction development level and brand influence.

10. Fourth Batch List: In November 2020, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the fourth batch of 15 proposed national-level tourist resorts. They include: Chongli Ice and Snow Tourist Resort (Hebei), Yabuli Ski Tourist Resort (Heilongjiang), Sheshan National Tourist Resort (Shanghai), Changzhou Taihu Bay Tourist Resort (Jiangsu), Deqing Moganshan International Tourist Resort, Chun'an Qiandao Lake Tourist Resort (Zhejiang), Shangrao Sanqingshan Jinsha Tourist Resort (Jiangxi), Rizhao Shanhaitian Tourist Resort (Shandong), Changde Liuye Lake Tourist Resort (Hunan), Chongqing Fengdu Nantian Lake Tourist Resort (Chongqing), Emeishan Exiu Lake Tourist Resort (Sichuan), Liupanshui Yeyuhai Mountain Tourist Resort (Guizhou), Dali Ancient City Tourist Resort (Yunnan), Baoji Taibai Mountain Hot Spring Tourist Resort (Shaanxi), Narati Tourist Resort (Xinjiang).

Xinjiang Narati Tourist Resort

Analysis of 45 National-Level Tourist Resorts

After evaluations in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, a total of 45 tourist resorts have been listed (including those in the publicity period) as national-level tourist resorts. As of December 29, 2020, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism had confirmed 45 national-level resorts. Greenview Cultural Tourism analyzes these 45 national-level tourist resorts!

Image source: Ministry of Culture and Tourism

From a geographical perspective, the 45 national-level tourist resorts are distributed across 23 provinces and municipalities, accounting for about two-thirds of the country's administrative divisions. The distribution of national-level tourist resorts is relatively correlated with the level of economic development, with most located in the eastern coastal and southwestern regions, showing characteristics of more in the east, fewer in the central and west, more in the south, and fewer in the north.

From a quantity perspective, Zhejiang leads with 6 resorts, ranking first; Jiangsu has 5, ranking second; Shandong and Yunnan each have 4, tied for third; followed by Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Chongqing, and Guangdong.

Statistics: As of November 30, 2020

From a type perspective, the types of national-level tourist resorts are gradually diversifying. In addition to common lake, hot spring, mountain forest, and coastal island types, new types such as small towns, manors, ancient cities and towns, ice and snow, and desert grassland have emerged due to changes in market demand. Among them, there are 16 river-lake wetland-type resorts, followed by 10 mountain forest-type resorts. Hot spring and coastal resorts have emerged strongly, with 6 and 5 respectively. In the future, with policy trends and market changes, more new types of tourist resorts will emerge.

From the perspectives of planned area and core resources: Planned areas vary greatly, from 10 square kilometers to hundreds of square kilometers. Core resources are mostly based on leisure and entertainment, covering seaside, grassland, hot springs, fitness sports, medical care, etc., especially natural ecological environments such as mountains, lakes, and forests.

From the currently announced national-level tourist resorts, their development types and bases differ, but overall they show a good trend. According to a relevant official from the Resource Development Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the construction and development of national-level tourist resorts are significant for optimizing the tourism product structure, guiding the development of national vacation and leisure tourism, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of the tourism industry. National-level resorts can rely on different resource environments to set up leisure vacation products, extend the vacation industry chain, and form a cluster of vacation leisure industries.

Greenview Cultural Tourism summarizes the following experiences from the development of 45 national-level tourist resorts:

From the perspective of resource utilization: Based on advantageous resources, integrate other resources. Integrated resources can be inherent to the project site, such as folk activities, or artificially created, such as golf.

From the perspective of vacation products and activities: Diversify products, integrate leisure product projects with different functions to form a vacation industry cluster.

From the market perspective: Diversified products meet the needs of various market segments, with multi-faceted marketing and brand building.

From the perspective of management services: International standard reception facilities + diverse personalized services + network information management.

Development Models of Tourist Resorts

Through studying the main products and characteristics of national-level tourist resorts, Greenview Cultural Tourism summarizes two major models: '1+1+X' and '1+X+Y'.

Xishuangbanna Tourist Resort

PART1. '1+1+X'

The first '1' refers to the foundation of integrating other resources based on advantageous resources;

The second '1' is the core of the resort, including various leisure products such as natural sightseeing, fitness sports, leisure entertainment, accommodation catering, and conferences and exhibitions, with one or several of them as the main focus;

'X' refers to several soft services such as international service standards, personalized services, and network information services.

PART2. '1+X+Y' Model

'1' refers to the core vacation carrier based on tapping advantageous resources and integrating other resources;

'X' refers to high-standard vacation facilities, international standard resort hotels, plus themed dining districts, shopping, commercial streets, etc.;

'Y' refers to several soft services such as international service standards, personalized services, and network information services.

Image source: Shutterstock