(New Year's news) Litang, Sichuan after Ding Zhen became popular: Tourism welcomes a turnaround, busy and medium "spring breeze"
China News Service, Litang, Sichuan, February 7th, title: Litang, Sichuan after Ding Zhen became popular: the tourism industry welcomes a turning point, and the busy middle "spring breeze"
China News Agency reporter Wang Peng
This winter, there are obviously more tourists in Litang than in previous years.
A Tibetan dessert shop at the entrance of Letong Ancient Town is filled with tourists almost every day.
They come from the south and the north with different accents, but they have the same purpose-to see Ding Zhen's hometown, and if possible, also to Ding Zhen.
The picture shows Ding Zhen (second from right) greeting tourists on the street of Letong Ancient Town in Litang.
(Data Picture) Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Zhongjun
Litang County of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan is located at the junction of Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan, with an altitude of over 4000 meters. The plateau scenery is excellent and it is known as the "city of the sky".
In late November 2020, the "sweet wild" smile of Tibetan boy Ding Zhen detonated the Internet.
He became an image ambassador for cultural tourism in his hometown of Litang, and brought a turn for the tourism industry in this small Tibetan city.
In early February, Litang, located on the western Sichuan plateau, was still cold, but fortunately there was plenty of sunshine.
Near the Tibetan New Year, the streets are dotted with red lanterns and colorful prayer flags, giving a strong festive atmosphere.
What is different from previous years is that there are more tourists wearing jackets and sunglasses in the back and forth crowd.
On Renkang Ancient Street, the afternoon sun is very comfortable.
The tourist Ding Xiaoyu sat on the bench, staring at the men turning in front of him.
“It’s worth it to be in a daze in the sun and feel Tibetan culture.” Ding Xiaoyu, 26, from Tianjin, went to Litang with netizens a few days ago.
She said that this "walking trip" was originally to see Ding Zhen, but she did not expect to be deeply attracted by "Ding Zhen's world".
"Can you meet Ding Zhen, let it happen, Litang itself is worth coming."
The picture shows Ding Zhen watching the messages of tourists in front of the wishing wall on the streets of Letong Ancient Town, Litang.
(Data Picture) Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Zhongjun
“Winter was originally the off-season for tourism here. At this time in previous years, there were very few tourists.” 30-year-old Genai Wangbo used to work in Beijing. He returned to his hometown in June last year and opened a Tibetan dessert shop.
Ding Zhen's appearance broke the depression of Litang's winter tourism and made Genai Wangbo busy. The shop's monthly turnover doubled, and his father and cousin also came to help.
After Ding Zhen became popular, he was quickly signed by Litang County Cultural Tourism Sports Investment Development Co., Ltd.
According to Gao Xiaoping, the company's deputy general manager, there are currently more than 10 people working around Ding Zhen, who are responsible for security, translation, and social media and short video operations.
"In the past, we had a vacation early in the winter because there were no tourists, so this year is completely different and very busy."
In fact, the busiest person is Ding Zhen himself.
As an image ambassador for cultural tourism, in the days in Litang County, he went to the museum every day after getting up and took video and photo shoots.
He dropped out of school in the third grade of elementary school, and now he has to study at least three hours a day, including Chinese, art and equestrianism.
From the "herding cow baby" at the foot of the Gnie Snow Mountain to the "top traffic" of the Internet, the life of this 20-year-old Tibetan guy has undergone a tremendous change.
On Renkang Ancient Street, Ding Zhen introduced Litang to tourists while turning the prayer wheel.
The reporter asked him if he likes his current life, he thought about it, smiled shyly and said he likes it.
The people in Litang are busy, but behind their busyness lies the broad prospects for the development of local tourism under the "Ding Zhen effect".
In the last three months of 2020, Litang received a total of 239,300 tourists.
In the entire Ganzi Prefecture, the fourth quarter received 10.3791 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 55.24%.
And this is only the data of the off-season tourism.
"On the top of Nadong Mountain, a bright moon rose, and Maggie Ami's face appeared in my heart..." On the top of Litang Mountain, the locals often sang this poem by Cangyang Gyatso.
Right now, Dongshan is still yellow, but in a few months, the spring breeze will turn the mountains green again.
Genai Wangbo said with expectation, "When the spring breeze comes, the tourist season will arrive, and that will be the busiest time in Litang." (End)