During the 2nd Jilin-Hong Kong-Macao Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, the "Explore Jilin via the Winter Universiade" cultural tourism promotional seminar was held in Hong Kong on August 26, aiming to broaden promotion channels for the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade (hereinafter referred to as "the Universiade"), unlock the market potential of the event, and expand the source market for ice and snow cultural tourism. Qiu Jiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, and President of the Jilin Overseas Friendship Association, attended the seminar and delivered a speech. Sun Hong, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Changchun Municipal Committee, Head of the United Front Work Department of the Changchun Municipal Committee, and President of the Changchun Overseas Friendship Association, along with other members of the delegation to Hong Kong and Macao, engaged in the seminar and a series of courtesy visits, matchmaking meetings, and exchange forums in both regions.

At the seminar, Qiu showcased Jilin's ice and snow resources to various sectors of Hong Kong and Macao and highlighted the strengths of Changchun as the host city for the Universiade, laying a solid foundation for deeper cultural tourism cooperation and industrial synergy between Jilin Province and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs).

Li Rui, member of the delegation and full-time Deputy Director of the Changchun Winter Universiade Executive Committee Office, delivered a dedicated promotional presentation on behalf of the committee. Li Rui provided a detailed introduction to the preparation progress and sports programs of the Universiade, with a special focus on Changchun's ice and snow resources and its year-round cultural tourism brand, "Changchun: A City for All Seasons." The presentation attracted significant attention from the attendees and served as a bridge for connectivity and mutual benefits between the Universiade and the SARs.

Han Mingfei, member of the delegation, and Deputy Director of the Market Development Department of the Universiade Executive Committee Office, delivered remarks at the follow-up forum on Jilin Province's cultural tourism product development and project packaging, centering on key tasks including event promotion, market development, licensed cultural and creative product cooperation, and source market expansion for the Universiade.

Notably, a special exhibition zone for licensed merchandise of the Universiade was set up at the seminar. The exquisite cultural and creative exhibits attracted representatives from the business and tourism sectors of Hong Kong and Macao, who stopped to appreciate them and engaged in in-depth exchanges. The exhibition raised the profile of the Universiade in Hong Kong and Macao, preparing the ground for licensed cultural and creative products to expand their market reach in the two regions.

Following the seminar, the delegation carried out a series of targeted matchmaking and negotiations in both Hong Kong and Macao, focusing on Universiade-related themes such as event promotion, market development, licensed cultural and creative product cooperation, source market expansion, and study tours.

During its stay in Hong Kong, the delegation paid successive visits to China Travel Service (HK) Ltd, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The delegation held in-depth discussions with China Travel Service (HK) Ltd on the feasibility of broadening licensed merchandise distribution channels, organizing tourist sources from Hong Kong and Macao, and developing study tour products. During its meeting with the HKTDC, the delegation provided an update on the Universiade's market development and outlined its multi-level sponsorship framework. Both sides exchanged views on tapping into enterprise resources of Hong Kong and Macao for the Universiade's market development and on establishing follow-up communication channels for matchmaking. During the visit to the School of Design of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the two sides discussed urban cultural tourism IP creation, collaborative R&D of licensed cultural and creative products, digital transformation of intangible cultural heritage, and academic exchanges on higher education institutions across the two regions. Drawing on universities' design resources, they also explored possibilities and implementation paths for enhancing the IP value of the Universiade.

In Macao, the delegation successively engaged with the Travel Industry Council of Macau, Global International Tourist Company Limited, and the Macao-Changchun Friendship Association, and took part in the Jilin-Macao Tourism Forum.

The delegation held discussions with Macao's tourism industry delegation on topics including the development of hospitality packages for the Universiade and invitations for a Macao industry delegation to visit Jilin for on-site inspections and exchanges. The delegation also held talks with the Macao-Changchun Friendship Association on pathways for cooperation in licensed merchandise operations for the Universiade, exploring potential for deeper collaboration. At the Jilin-Macao Tourism Forum, the delegation presented the competition schedules of the Universiade and exchanged views on organizing spectator groups from Hong Kong and Macao, inter-university academic exchanges, and ice and snow study tours for Hong Kong and Macao youth, expressing the hope to explore cooperation opportunities based on Macao's existing resources.

This visit to Hong Kong and Macao marks an important effort for Changchun in using the Universiade as a bridge for promoting international communication to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With mature commercial operations, cultural and creative product development capabilities, and cultural tourism industry resources, Hong Kong and Macao serve as key gateways connecting the Chinese mainland with overseas markets. Through multiple courtesy visits and dedicated promotional events, the delegation fully presented the progress of preparations for the Universiade to various sectors of Hong Kong and Macao, showcased the unique charm of Changchun's four-season cultural tourism, and established initial communication with multiple organizations, opening up new avenues for channeling the Greater Bay Area resources to the new prospects of the Universiade.

Going forward, the delegation to Hong Kong and Macao will systematically review the cooperation intentions from this visit, maintain close follow-up, and drive the implementation of various cooperation initiatives. Leveraging the Universiade as a key platform, the delegation will continue to tell the story of Changchun's ice and snow culture and facilitate the promotion and international exchange of ice and snow cultural tourism.

Source: Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade  Editor:  Liu Jiadi