The Silk Road International Tourism Festival 2011

About The Silk Road International Tourism Festival 2011 The Silk Road International Tourism Festival kicks off tonight - at 08:40pm, July 30, 2011 at the Water Wheel Park by the southern bank of Yellow River in Lanzhou, where a grand opening ceremony is held. This silk road tourism festival is said to be held for the first time in Gansu in terms of its size and importance. The tourism festival is hosted by China National Tourism Administration and Gansu Provicial People's Government.

This Silk Road international tourism festival is aimed at speeding up the local tourism development, a big measure to realize the super-conventional and leaping development in Gansu. Through the tourism festival, hopefully it will improve and create a positive image of Gansu globally, hence greatly facilitating the social and economic development in Gansu.

Silk Road was the world's first information superhighway, trading goods, exchanging different cultures and religions between China and Central Asia through the mountain and desert corridor of Gansu. The ancient travelers, pilgrims, artists, soldiers and merchants had created a mixed culture and left behind a rich treasure troves - military garrisons, great wall, tombs and grottoes.

Gansu is also famous for its Tibetan culture and alpine grassland. Larang Monastery and Sangke Grassland are not to be missed. Some of the diverse people you may meet on your own including the Hui, Tibetans, Mongols, Dongxiang and Kazakhs.

Gansu Silk Road Map

On the way from Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport to Lanzhou lengend Hotel

We landed safe at 10:00am at Lanzhou Zhongchuan Akirport and met by the representive from Gansu Tourism Administration. On the 60km airport expressway, we saw several hude signboard advertising the silk road festival.

Registration at our hotel - Lanzhou Legend Hotel

Welcoming Banquet at 6:00pm

A welcoming banquet was held for all the participants sponsored by the local government.

Opening Ceremony at Water Wheel Park 08:40 pm

Tonight the open-air theatre inside the fanous water wheel park was packed with participants including over 80 oversea tour operators or investors, 68 new agencies from home and abroad as well as over 300 domestic tour operators and investors.

After brief opening speeches given by the hosts - China National Tourism Adninistration and Gansu Provincial People's Government, an excellent and outstanding performance was put on the stage with a huge 3 D film as a backdrop. At the beginning and end of the opening ceremony, fireworks was played.

Tonight's performance is focused on five themes: Mogao Caves, Silk Road as a whole, Yellow River, Grasslands, Minority People.

One thousand hands guanyin