Influencers and self-media personalities are known for generating online buzz. Surprisingly, tourism officials in China are also competing for online attention.
To attract tourists, officials are rebranding and upgrading tourism resources, and even employing historical figures in traditional attire.
To capture attention, tourism departments in China flood social media platforms, such as Douyin, with dozens of short videos on their official accounts every day, even posting videos at four in the morning.
This trend of tourism departments vying for online attention and tourists was sparked by a sudden surge in tourism in Harbin, China's northeastern Heilongjiang province, just before the New Year. Harbin's rise to nationwide fame resulted from its extraordinary efforts to attract and please tourists. The city became a sensation on social media, serving frozen pears cut into small pieces for Southern tourists and organizing flash mobs to welcome visitors at the airport. Harbin went to great lengths to take care of its tourists.
The city's newfound fame has inspired tourism organizations nationwide to follow suit. Enthusiastic support from netizens, unwilling to see their hometowns go unnoticed, has played a crucial role. Additionally, the approaching traditional Chinese New Year has likely fueled this heightened enthusiasm, as people are more eager to promote their hometowns during the festive season.
Read original report
