Meeting held in Dublin to promote tourism in giant panda’s hometown in China

A delegation from the hometown of giant pandas in China’s southwest Sichuan Province held a meeting here on Monday to promote their tourism in Ireland.

Nearly 100 people mainly from the tourism sector attended the promotion event held at Crowne Plaza Dublin, a four-star hotel in the Irish capital.

During the two-hour meeting, officials from Sichuan’s Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture briefed the participants about the rich tourism resources in the region.

Located in the northwest part of Sichuan Province, the prefecture has a size similar to Ireland but with a much less population due to its high altitude. The region is famous for its snowy mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and grasslands. 

But what makes Aba prefecture well known is the Wolong National Nature Reserve, the main habitat of the giant pandas in China.

The prefecture also boasts a UNESCO World Heritage Site called Jiuzhaigou, a natural wonderland abundant in waterfalls, rivers and lakes, decorated by colorful trees and flowers.

The Four Girls Mountains, highest in the region with its peak measured at 6,250 meters above sea level, are a special attraction for mountaineers from home and abroad.

Aba prefecture is also attractive for its customs and traditions out of multiple ethnic groups. The ethnic Tibetans account for 55 percent of the prefecture’s total population, followed by Han people (about 25 percent) and Qiang people (about 18 percent).

Many famous Buddhism relics scatter across the region.

Liu Ping, secretary of Aba Prefecture Committee of the Communist Party of China, who heads the delegation to Ireland, said that there are more and more Chinese coming to visit Ireland in recent years, and we also welcome Irish visitors to Sichuan and Aba prefecture. Liu promised visitors of stunning scenic spots and hospitality from the local people.

A representative from Irish tourist agency Boyne Valley Tourism briefed the Chinese delegates and the participants about the tourism resources in Boyne Valley, a famous tourist site about 20 minutes’ drive north of Dublin.

Last year an estimated 100,000 Chinese visited Ireland.

Source: Xinhua News Agency                                                                                      Update: May 29, 2019