The Baoji-Lanzhou High-speed Railway, the only non-operational division of the Xuzhou-Lanzhou High-speed Railway, is expected to open to traffic in July.

Xuzhou-Lanzhou High-speed Railway and Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway together constitute a railway artery linking east and west China.

The Baoji-Lanzhou High-speed Railway will ease trips to Xi’an, Baoji, Tianshui, Lanzhou, Xining and Urumqi, all major cities along the Silk Road Economic Belt and facilitates trade and economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between northwest China and central and east China.

The operation of the new railway is also an exciting piece of news for tourism professionals of Lanzhou and Gansu.

Pei Jianhong, General Manager of Gansu Lanshen International Travel Agency, said that the operation of the new railway means an alternative transportation mode for tourists planning a trip to Lanzhou and Gansu and is set to bring about an increase in inbound tourists.

Zhao Jie, Board Chairman of Gansu Guotai International Travel Agency, said that the operation of the railway, amid the development of the Belt and Road, will surely benefit the tourism industry of Lanzhou and Gansu. He expected a double growth in the number of inbound tourists this year because it is now easier to travel from Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, the major source markets of Gansu and Lanzhou, to Lanzhou.

“There are so many things to deal with recently. My company is busy handling applications of tourists and receiving them all day and my people have to work even on weekends,”said Zhang Weiyue, General Manager of Gansu Ximei International Travel Service.

To take full advantage of the new railway line, especially at the peak season of the summer vacation, tourism enterprises in the province have rolled out tourism products with local characteristics.

The immediate beneficiaries of the new line will be the five cities of Wuwei, Zhangye, Jinchang, Jiuquan and Jiayuguan because they are home to the most spectacular views of the Gansu section of the ancient Silk Road.

The new line will also benefit Gannan, Longnan, TIanshui and Dingxi by helping create a new scenic loop line of Gansu, which encompasses Lanzhou, Gannan, Xiahe, Langmu Temple, Minxian County, Wanxiang Cave, Maiji Mountain and Dingxi. The new loop line will be a new growth point of local tourism industry in addition to the Gansu-Qinghai Loop Line.

Niu Haizhen, a professor of tourism at Lanzhou University of Arts and Sciences urged the development of big scenic areas, the launching of various tourism products and the creation of new business forms.

Niu suggested while improving old attractions such as the Hundred-Li Yellow River Scenic Belt, Xinglong Mountain and Lanzhou Old Street, Lanzhou should also develop new attractions like the Dalan Mountain and Shuping Danxia in order to make tourists stay longer.

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