Analyzing vacations using the framework of sightseeing tourism is, strictly speaking, inaccurate and can lead to many misconceptions, even investment misjudgments.

Traditional sightseeing tourism and today's leisure vacations are completely different needs and naturally different products. However, in reality, we often mix them up, sometimes not understanding. I listened for a long time to you talking about vacations, but actually, you were talking about tourism, sightseeing. Sometimes when you talk about sightseeing, I think you might be talking about vacations. This is a common phenomenon in the current market, and the root cause is that we are currently in a transitional process.

The first generation of tourists must be sightseeing tourists, pursuing seeing more. So, from the perspective of a tourist's growth to maturity, it's first about how much they see, then how expensive it is, then how good, right, cool, and trendy it is. For example, what young people like is not what I like, so at this time, you have to ask if it's right. From the perspective of feelings, it starts with pleasing oneself, then pleasing others—pleasing others means constantly taking photos. Now everyone realizes that's not important; what's important is still pleasing oneself. After consumption matures, people pursue leisure vacations, and this area needs more segmentation. First of all, leisure and vacation are two different concepts. The commonality is leisure; the difference lies in rest and vacation. Rest can be short-term, while vacation requires a certain amount of time. Therefore, leisure is shorter and can be anytime, anywhere, while vacation is longer and transforms into a lifestyle.

In the past, vacations were a high-end consumption. Now, with the extension of mass tourism, mass vacations are also flourishing. Urban large-scale leisure and rural micro-vacations have become mainstream. This is the biggest change in our market in the past two years, a change actually forced by the epidemic. Moreover, most of our tourists are no longer the first generation. Everyone has rich experience in sightseeing tourism. At this time, how we view vacations and how we accurately judge vacations is a core issue. From this, we can see a major trend: the comprehensive flourishing of vacations and tiered consumption. First, it's becoming more popular. Originally, it was thought that mass vacations shouldn't be mentioned, but in fact, mass vacations have already formed. For example, retired people in Chongqing always go to the Qinba Mountains during this season. One person's retirement pension can meet the needs of an elderly couple's summer vacation. This is the popular demand. Second, it's becoming more hierarchical: high-end vacations are overseas, mid-range vacations are in Hainan, and mass vacations are everywhere. Third, it's becoming more diverse, with various vacation products and various business formats. Fourth, it's transitional. Pure vacations are beginning to emerge, but most are still in a transitional state between sightseeing and vacations. For example, vacations have a very prominent characteristic: people go to see vacation resorts all over the world. In the morning, there's no one around; everyone is sleeping late. People come out in the afternoon and reach a peak in the evening. So it's very simple: for vacations, the night economy is a characteristic. Higher-end vacations are hard to imagine. Basically, one judgment is that the world's top vacation resorts cost 10,000 RMB per day, and good vacation resorts in China cost 3,000 RMB per day. Which resort in China has reached that level? None have. For example, vacations have a characteristic: strong stickiness and high repeat visitation rates. Once, I met a German in Phuket, Thailand. He always stayed in the same room at this hotel, coming every year at this time. I asked him how many times he had been here: 25 times. Every year, he goes from Germany to this hotel in Phuket, puts his luggage down on the beach, stays for a week, and goes back. This is their characteristic. The characteristics of mass vacations in China have not yet fully emerged, so people are accustomed to using the set of sightseeing tourism to analyze vacations. Strictly speaking, this is inaccurate and will bring us many misunderstandings, even causing investment misjudgments.

In short, simple beauty is good, leisurely is leisure, doing nothing is a vacation, relaxed is life, and happy enjoyment is happiness. Sometimes a vacation is like that: doing nothing, what to do, where to go? Why arrange such a tight schedule? That's not a vacation; that's still sightseeing.

The Development of Vacation Resorts

In 1991, the State Council approved 12 national tourism resorts, marking the beginning. At that time, it was administrative, exploratory, and pioneering. At that time, Mr. Liu Yi, the former director of the State Tourism Administration, realized the international trend that vacations were the way to go. So, he found a group of people in the bureau to study and went on a tour of vacation resorts around the world, then wrote a report to the State Council. The State Council Tourism Committee held a special meeting and approved 12 national tourism resorts nationwide. But strictly speaking, these 12 were not successful. Only Sanya's Yalong Bay and Dalian's Jinshitan were somewhat like vacation resorts; the rest didn't even resemble vacation resorts. Later, we analyzed the reasons: the market was immature. At that time, we hoped to follow the international trend and attract foreigners to China for vacations. After this round of inspections, we found that no one came to China for vacations because China's vacation conditions were too poor. Times have changed. More than 30 years have passed, and the new century's national-level tourism resorts have begun, with standardized foundations and brand pursuit. Currently, there are 86 national-level resorts nationwide, and hundreds of provincial-level resorts. I don't know exactly how many there are; anyway, it wouldn't be excessive for a province to have 40 to 50 or even 70 to 80 provincial-level resorts. In this case, there would be thousands nationwide. It can be seen that, corresponding to the growth of mass vacations, vacation resorts will increase significantly.

First, the number will increase; national-level resorts will reach 300 to 500.

Second, the types will be richer: coastal, mountain, rural, lake, forest, comprehensive, and special types. For example, I recently feel that cultural leisure and ancient city vacations are a good model. Because I went to Jianchang Ancient City in Xichang, Sichuan, for a five-day vacation, and it felt great. I didn't expect such good vacation conditions in such a place. For example, today, the temperature in Xisai Mountain is 37 degrees. If I were in Jianchang Ancient City right now, the temperature would be 23 degrees. Climate is a key condition for vacations.

Third, the business formats will be complete: accommodation, entertainment, commerce, culture, and catering will be varied.

Fourth, the infrastructure will be complete. Because our traditional infrastructure is already in place, and the information infrastructure is complete. Originally, the biggest factors restricting our vacations were transportation, communication, water, electricity, and gas. Now, they have become our promoting factors, especially the information infrastructure, which China is already at the forefront of the world.

Fifth, it will seek characteristics, including regional characteristics, cultural characteristics, project characteristics, and operational characteristics. These characteristics will gradually form in the process of fierce market competition and development. A major problem with vacation resorts now is that they are too homogeneous. Coastal resorts are all the same wherever you go, and mountain resorts are also the same type wherever you go. This strong homogeneity is actually very unfavorable to development.

Sixth, market correspondence, which means focusing on nearby markets, developing mid-range markets, and exploring distant markets. Currently, resorts mainly rely on nearby markets. So it's simple, Huzhou works, why? Because it's centrally located in the economically developed Yangtze River Delta region, that alone is enough.

Seventh, the growth of leading enterprises. This involves leading resort areas and leading operating enterprises. Huzhou should be a leading resort city, and a leading resort city must have leading resort areas and leading operating enterprises. I don't know which of the seven companies in Huzhou are leading ones, as they are all still developing. It's also unclear which enterprise is a leading operating enterprise, as they are also in a developmental stage;

Eighth, the formation of a market brand. The formation of a market brand is a double-edged sword; when it's good, it's very good, but when it's bad, it can be disastrous. Therefore, we must cherish and protect this market brand;

Ninth, from projects to regions to destinations. Currently, we focus on projects, but from a resort perspective, it should be regional development, ultimately leading to destination-type development. The core is a friendly destination. Whether it's Harbin or Zibo, the most fundamental characteristic is friendliness. However, friendliness is precisely where many of our current destinations are lacking, have shortcomings, or even the biggest differences. This is especially true for resorts, where resort guests are very relaxed and idle, so they are most sensitive to the environment. If there are environmental problems, the place won't work. This is a crucial issue. Zhejiang's overall environment is excellent, including transportation, natural environment, consumption environment, and friendly environment; it's leading nationwide. But we haven't consciously promoted friendliness. When I went to Quzhou last year, I said that Quzhou started with the Nan Kong Confucian Temple, emphasizing Quzhou's politeness. But what does this politeness mean? It's not just performing a grand bow on stage; true politeness in Quzhou means friendliness.

Tenth, from internet sensation to lasting popularity. Honestly, a resort shouldn't pursue being an internet sensation; it should pursue lasting popularity, which is gradually accumulated through internet sensations. So, pursuing popular items or events is fine. But ultimately, a good resort is one that maintains lasting popularity. For example, the world's top resorts like Tahiti, Cancun in Mexico, and Switzerland in Europe are indeed top-tier. So when you go there, they will charge you, no negotiation, but you won't complain about spending money there. This is the gap and the goal for our resort areas.

Regarding Huzhou Resorts

Huzhou has the highest number of national-level tourism resorts in China, so it should establish a brand as "China's Resort City," as you also say, "Huzhou, the Resort Province." Another is a global brand. Huzhou's advantage is rural resorts, which is its biggest advantage. The current pattern of rural resorts in Huzhou is not lagging behind the world. In a sense, Huzhou's rural resorts are already at the forefront of the world. We shouldn't underestimate ourselves. Therefore, holding a World Rural Resort Destination Conference to create influence and establish a pattern is a further pursuit. This requires establishing a destination brand, which is paramount. Because when people mention Huzhou, those who have been there know it's good. Those who haven't been there will ask, "What is Huzhou? What does Huzhou have? Why should I go to Huzhou?" These are the questions from those who haven't been there. So the priority is to establish a destination brand, but what is your brand? It's a resort brand, which is what Huzhou can truly offer and promote.

Furthermore, deepen product branding, breaking it down into a series of products to form product brands, and finally creating a system brand, forming a system. What is this system? First, a traditional lifestyle attitude. We shouldn't be in a hurry in Huzhou; it's wrong to be in a rush. It shouldn't be about doing things from a certain time to a certain time. In Huzhou, it should be leisurely; suddenly seeing something, we go play for a while; suddenly seeing something else, we go eat. That's the right attitude. So, a relaxed traditional lifestyle, but with modern facilities. The facilities must be modern; without them, no one will accept it. Therefore, culture and tourism, tourism doing culture, should be simple but not superficial. Wherever I go, I oppose heavy culture. What are tourists doing? Pursuing fashion, happiness, and enjoyment. If you put a heavy culture on their heads, they won't come back. So, heavy culture can be said in other fields, but not in tourism. Tourism culture should be light, enjoyable, and life-oriented, so it must have modern facilities. But it pursues a future lifestyle, which is covered by a series of technologies and various methods. For example, Guochao (national trend) is actually a future lifestyle. We shouldn't think of it as retro; it's about pursuing the future.

Finally, regarding Xisi Mountain, I have summarized a few points: First, Xisi figures and late Tang Dynasty style. The core issue is that these historical figures gathered here. As for a mountain, a body of water, and some egrets, it's nothing special; it's common in the south of the Yangtze River, but the gathering of Xisi figures is rare. Second, an elegant life today. The life here is elegant, relaxed, and leisurely, which is the personality and characteristic of the Xisi Mountain resort area. Third, a song of fishermen's songs, recalling the south of the Yangtze River. I read two books today and learned that Zhang Zhihe's "Fisherman's Song" has five poems, but everyone only knows one; I only knew one before. It's well-written. Fourth, the essence of ancient and modern times is the same in terms of artistic conception. The essence of ancient and modern times is the same in the pursuit of artistic conception. So, don't we talk about empathy? Contemporary people talk about sympathy, and ancient people talk about empathy. What is this empathy? It's the empathy of the essence of artistic conception.

The Xisi Mountain resort area has now created a new model: good economy in a good environment. I hope Huzhou will seek greater development as China's number one resort city and a world-famous rural resort destination. We must dare to boast, be good at boasting, and be able to withstand boasting. This is also true for Zhejiang. Zhejiang emphasizes sightseeing tourism, and its strengths are not many, especially in natural aspects. But in terms of cultural leisure, urban resorts, including natural leisure and rural resorts, Zhejiang's current pattern is already number one in the country. I hope you will maintain this number one position and dare to proclaim it.