Guilin recognized for development of bilingual signage

Travelers' increasing needs have made the quality of public tourism services a key factor in determining a destination's influence, competitiveness and appeal.

In Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, signage systems have recently been named one of the nation's top 10 tourism service models by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Signage is a comprehensive reflection of a city's image, characteristics and culture, and the city has made the construction of a Chinese and English tourism signage system a concrete measure to contribute to its high-quality public tourism services.

The city has developed more than 300 signage and guidance systems to better meet the diverse needs of a wide range of tourists.

"We have been developing our tourism signage system since 2018," said Wang Zixi, head of the Guilin bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism.

"Guilin is an internationally renowned tourist city," she added. "A well-planned signage system not only helps visitors know where to go next but also leaves them with an impression of Guilin's urban space, thereby forming a unique understanding of this city known for its picturesque landscapes and rich history and culture."

In the city's Xiufeng district, various forms of signage have been applied. The signs clearly point to the entrances of roads leading to tourist destinations for vehicles and pedestrians.

In addition, guide maps show tourists where to find dining, accommodations, scenic areas, public toilets, banks, gas stations and hospitals in the area. And directional signposts paired with navigation maps clearly indicate the directions and distances to dining, accommodation, and entertainment spots, all within a 15-minute walk of the signs.

Besides Chinese and English, some signage includes other languages depending on the nationality of tourists who frequent particular attractions.

For instance, signs in Xiufeng district also often display information in Korean, as the area receives many South Korean visitors.

"We scientifically plan and design the tourism signage systems for each county (as well as in each city and district) based on the city's tourism resources, service facilities, road traffic characteristics and the differentiated needs of tourists," Wang said.

Additionally, cultural elements have been applied to the designs of local signage systems, according to Qin Qiyi, director of the Guilin public service administration.

"We extract the cultural characteristics of each area and create signage accordingly, integrating cultural elements with the overall style of the signage system," Qin said.

The move has helped visitors learn about the local culture, and has enriched the tourism industry, Qin added.

The signage system is part of local authorities' efforts to upgrade the city's tourism services. The authorities said they will continue to improve and standardize the functionality of the tourism signage system.

"We are exploring the use of technology to innovate and upgrade the tourism signage system," Wang said, adding that future signage will focus more on tourist interactions, social functions and public services.

"For example, tourists can control our system with voice commands; they say a place name, and our system automatically shows the route. Additionally, our system can serve as an emergency broadcast tool, notifying nearby people to respond quickly in case of emergencies," she said.

In the Mount Guanyin National Forest Park in Guangdong province, a series of tour services have been prepared for students during their summer vacation.

"We've offered guidance for them to study nature and learn traditional cultural stories," said Chen Jingyu, director of the park's administration.

Chen said the guideline issued by the nine government organs to upgrade public tourism services is good news for the park, as more policy support can be expected.

"It will allow us to have a greater sense of fulfillment and more enthusiasm for innovation and reform," he said.

Special services arranged by the park, including matchmaking events, have greatly spiced up travelers' experiences. "Travelers from Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have been willing to drive over an hour to come here," Chen noted.

In recent years, the park has received over a million visitors annually, he said.

In Suzhou, Jiangsu province, a smart tourism platform developed by the city's culture, radio, television and tourism bureau has offered tourists a one-stop service that enables them to buy tickets to attractions, make museum reservations and monitor the number of travelers visiting scenic areas.

The platform saw 600,000 active users daily during the May Day holiday from May 1 to 3. Sales of cultural and tourism products over the holiday amounted to 5.42 million yuan ($747,000), according to local authorities.

Suzhou has been very popular among individual travelers, and the smart tourism platform has effectively connected government and market resources, enhanced tourist satisfaction and promoted consumption in the cultural and tourism market, said Tao Jiajia, an official with the local culture, radio, television and tourism bureau.