On the morning of April 9, Luzhi Tourism Company convened a meeting to outline plans for the optimization and upgrading of the ancient town. Attending the meeting were the company’s leadership team, heads and deputy heads of all departments, the directors of the Baosheng Temple and the Luzhi Property Management Visitor Center, as well as the heads and project managers of the two property management companies.

At the meeting, General Manager Zhou Lei conveyed the spirit of the symposium on the optimization and upgrading of the ancient town held in Luzhi Town on April 9, as well as the requirements for this work emphasized by Town Mayor Zhu Huaping: First, elevate our perspective and strengthen our awareness. We must strengthen our ideological awareness, foster a sense of the bigger picture, elevate our political stance, fully perform our duties and responsibilities, and take proactive, front‑line action. Second, refine the plan and accelerate its implementation. It is necessary to align with the actual conditions of the ancient town, refine and upgrade the implementation plan, and, in accordance with the division of responsibilities, take swift action and advance work efficiently. Third, strengthen collaboration for sustained and long-term effectiveness. We must strengthen communication and collaboration, enhance on-site management, promptly address and resolve issues, and ensure sustained, long-term effectiveness.

Finally, General Manager Zhou Lei, drawing on the actual conditions of the ancient town scenic area, outlined plans for optimization and improvement and emphasized several key requirements: First, we must enhance the overall environment of the ancient town. Optimize landscape and greenery features in public visitor areas, develop popular “check-in” spots, strengthen environmental and order management in the ancient town’s tourist zone, and further enhance oversight of sanitation and cleaning, tourism safety, street‑side vending, signage placement, public restrooms, and non‑motorized vehicle parking. Second, enhance the quality of business formats in the ancient town. Develop an action plan for upgrading the tourism and cultural‑industry landscape as soon as possible, and formulate investment‑attraction policies tailored to the sector. Leveraging Tongcheng Group’s channel advantages, gradually introduce new, innovative tourism‑and‑culture formats. Shift away from the traditional sightseeing‑oriented attraction model by integrating high‑quality offerings, moving beyond a ticket‑centric revenue stream. Enhance and refine cruise‑ship products, explore the bridge‑related cultural heritage of the ancient town, and, in alignment with market demand and visitor preferences, develop a comprehensive suite of cultural‑tourism products that fully highlight the town’s distinctive character. Third, we must enhance the quality of services at scenic areas. Refine the education and training plan for scenic‑area personnel, tailoring programs to the specific requirements of different roles, with a particular emphasis on frontline staff. Strengthen workforce development and strive to elevate the overall competence of all employees. Fourth, we must enhance the digitalization of scenic‑area management systems. Accelerate the digital transformation of the ancient town’s ticketing system, smart tour‑guidance platform, intelligent parking, smart fire‑safety infrastructure, and ancillary service systems, thereby meeting visitors’ needs during their stay and enhancing both convenience and comfort. Fifth, we must enhance the influence and distinctiveness of educational and cultural products. By deeply cultivating the brand ethos of “an educational wetland and a cultural oxygen bar,” we will fully uphold the spirit of Ye Shengtao’s educational philosophy, thoroughly explore and distill the rich resources and essence of educational culture, and forge an education‑culture industry ecosystem unique to Luzhi, characterized by the “one town, one signature product” approach. We will also develop more “education‑culture + tourism” offerings, advance the integrated development of culture and tourism, and enhance our influence and brand recognition. Sixth, we must strengthen the marketing and promotion of ancient towns. By distilling the cultural essence of the ancient town and drawing on the successful experiences of cultural‑creative initiatives such as those at the Suzhou Museum, we will develop distinctive cultural‑creative products. We will implement targeted online and offline marketing campaigns to promote Luzhi’s signature cultural‑tourism offerings, proactively coordinate with municipal and district cultural‑tourism authorities to launch relevant promotional activities, and meticulously craft a year‑round marketing strategy while increasing investment in tourism marketing.