A discussion panel was held in Datong, Shanxi province, on March 6, to talk about the establishment of the Datong Cultural Tourism (Investment) Group Co in the city, with experts from Beijing, Anhui, and Yunnan, taking part, and Li Junming, and Cao Xuecheng, Datong's mayor and vice mayor in attendance.

The tourism group will be set up with the aim of promoting the development of Datong's cultural and tourism industry, achieving its industrialization and mximising its potential.

The experts carried out an in-depth discussion around the topics of the positioning of the tourism group, its running and operating mode, deciding on projects, ownership structure, and working systems.

Li addressed the gathering and said that the concepts and suggestions put forward by the experts were instructive, adding that establishing a tourism group should use available resources as its foundation, set up projects as the way forward, and help make clear the developing direction for Datong's tourism industry thereby speeding up its transformation and upgrade.

Datong, as one of the 24 famous historical and cultural cities in the country, boasts huge advantages in tourism resources, climate, location and transportation. The tourism group will be established to serve as a bridge and platform for the Datong government to promote Datong's tourism industrial development.

Edited by Brian Salter