Chengdu's tourism pitch impresses Norway

In Norway's capital Oslo, resident Maiken Bergheim, said on Tuesday that she is certain her next visit to China will include a trip to Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Bergheim attended a conference in Oslo promoting Chengdu to tourists. The images, videos, intangible cultural heritage products and Chengdu's specialty snacks at the event convinced her about the city's comfortable lifestyle. She cannot wait to visit Chengdu.

Themed "Chengdu, More Than Just Pandas", the Oslo event was hosted by the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism. It was attended by some 100 industry professionals from Norway's tourism, business, hotel and aviation sectors.

Bjorn Krag Ingul, director of international affairs at the Norwegian Tourist Board, Rigmor K.Johnsen, former cultural counselor at the Norwegian embassy in China, Mette Husemoen, chair of the Norway-China Friendship Association, and some Chinese officials also attended the event.

The Norwegian Tourist Board noted that as this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Norway, it has a desire to collaborate with Chengdu's tourism professionals to explore strategies for jointly advancing tourism.

With a history of over 4,500 years and now acting as a semi-provincial level city administering 12 districts, five county-level cities and three counties, Chengdu is known as the panda capital of the world.

Speaking at the event, Wang Jian, deputy director of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, noted that known as a "Land of Abundance", Chengdu can offer Norwegian tourists "more than just pandas".

Wang said its rich cultural heritage, abundant natural resources and relaxed lifestyle can allow Norwegian visitors to explore the unique charm of one of the "happiest cities in China".

He said his bureau has recently launched 12 premium inbound travel routes designed to attract international visitors to Chengdu.

Officials showed that in the first half, there were more than 2.69 million cross-border trips and over 20,000 international flights entering and exiting the airports in Chengdu, up 292 percent and 222 percent, respectively, year-on-year.

Wang noted that with China implementing unilateral visa-free policies with more countries, inbound tourism will have more growth opportunities.

Norwegian nationals can transit without a visa for up to 144 hours in Chengdu, and stay in such cities as Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya'an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou and Yibin.

Wang stressed that the beautiful scenery of Chengdu has helped the city win the title of the world's first "biodiversity charm city", adding that as of now, its green coverage of the built-up area stretches across 51,295 hectares, with a green coverage rate of 44.61 percent.

During the promotional event in Oslo, the Chengdu Panda Tourism Station was officially inaugurated.

It has been learned that to date, Chengdu's cultural and tourism sector has established tourism stations in 23 countries and regions, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, laying a solid foundation for promoting Chengdu's image abroad.

Wang stressed that the upcoming 2025 World Games will also be an attraction for tourists.