On Apr. 24-25, the 4th National Postdoctoral Academic Forum on Tourism Management was held in Beijing, with the theme of “the New Development Pattern of Tourism and Tourism Industry”, and hosted by Office of National Postdoctoral Management Committee, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, CTA, China Tourism Group Co., Ltd. Nearly 150 representatives from national culture and tourism postdoctoral stations, local regions, academia and the industry participated in on-site communication.

Vice President Li Zhongguang from CTA presided over the opening ceremony. Zhong Xiaolin, Second-class Inspector of Professional and Technical Personnel Management Division of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Xu Jin, Deputy Director of Personnel Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Chen Rong, General Manager Assistant of China Tourism Group Co., Ltd., attended the forum and delivered speeches.

In her speech, Inspector Zhong Xiaolin said that more than 3,000 post-doctoral research stations participated in the last year’s national post-doctoral work evaluation, and only 221 were awarded excellent stations. She expressed congratulations to CTA for its outstanding achievements in post-doctoral management. At present, 3,318 postdoctoral research mobile stations and 3,850 postdoctoral research work stations have been set up in China, and a total of 260,000 postdoctoral researchers have been recruited. Most of the 150,000 postdoctoral researchers out of the stations have become the backbone of scientific research and academic technology leaders of the country, and 125 postdoctoral researchers have been elected as academicians. The postdoctoral system has become an important channel for various regions and departments to cultivate and attract high-level talents. Postdoctoral researchers have become the most active and innovative group of high-level young talents. They are the strategic reserve of leading scientific and technological talents, the backbone of innovation team, and the backbone of young scientific and technological talents. During the “14th Five-year Plan”, we should fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on talent work for the postdoctoral work, fully grasp the new situation and new requirements in the new stage of development, highlight training priorities, innovate the working mechanism, create a good ecology, ensure the quality of training, and accelerate the training of a large number of young postdoctoral talents, so as to provide talent support for China to achieve breakthroughs in key and core technologies and become a leading innovation-oriented country.

Deputy Director Xu Jin expressed that postdoctoral talents are the new force of culture and tourism system theory construction and industrial innovation, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism attaches great importance to and actively supports the development of postdoctoral programs in directly affiliated research institutes. On the forum, three suggestions were put forward for culture and tourism system stations and postdoctoral researchers: 1. based on the historical orientation of building a modern socialist country, improve the political position, thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on talent work, enter a new development stage, implement the new development concept, build a new development pattern, and train high-level talents with both political integrity and ability; 2. pay more attention to the important practice and theory of culture and tourism development, stick to Xi Jinping Theory of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, use the marxist stand, viewpoint, method and analysis to solve problems, go into the front line, take the the people’s need for a better life as the starting point and the basis, and enable theoretical study to better respond to the demands of the times; 3. attach greater importance to the training of young and middle-aged theorists, explore ways to establish a high-level training system for young and middle-aged professionals, improve mechanisms to encourage and guarantee innovation, create a favorable atmosphere for talents to work and start their own businesses, and stimulate the creativity of young talents.

 As the representative of the host, Mr. Chen Rong expressed that the new development pattern has given tourism a new mission. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the recovery of tourism market and tourism economy is irreversible, and innovation, integration and high quality will be the key words of tourism development. COVID-19 has pushed the tourism industry into a new period of transformation and development. We need to actively adapt to the changes in the market and consumer demands, make full use of information technology, reshape the industry’s competitive advantages, and create a new image of China’s tourism brand. China Tourism Group will focus on four aspects to jointly promote high-quality tourism development: 1. research and practice on the application of scientific and technological innovation and digital transformation in the tourism scene to provide a platform for the marketization of scientific and technological achievements; 2. promote the research and exploration of key topics under the new development patterns such as eco-tourism, etc.; 3. promote the construction of versatile talents in tourism; 4. deepen the integration of industry and learning, and build an innovative system and development model for the integrated development of industry, learning and research. 

Feng Jin, former Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Lingnan Group, and postdoctor supervisor of CTA, delivered a speech titled “New Development Direction of Local Tourism Enterprises under the New Development Pattern of Double Circulation”.

Zhang Lingyun, Executive Chief Editor of “Tourism Tribune”, and Chief Expert of Tourism Academic Evaluation Research Base of CTA, delivered a speech titled “The Path and Strategy of High-quality Development of China’s Tourism Industry under the New Pattern”.

Xie Yanjun, Professor of School of Tourism, Hainan University, and Chief Expert of Tourism Basic Theory Research Base of CTA, delivered a speech titled “How Theory Instructs Practice”.

Vice President Tang Xiaoyun from CTA presided over the communication between postdoctoral stations. Cheng Suiying, Dean of Cultural Industry and Tourism College, Henan University, and Yun Jiang, Dean of School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, respectively delivered the speeches titled “Overview of Tourism Postdoctoral Training in Henan University” and “Postdoctoral Management and Innovative Thinking”. Discussions around the characteristics and experience of postdoctoral training, the trend of talent demand under the development of culture and tourism, the considerations and measures of postdoctoral training under the new situation, etc. were carried out between Liu Zhen, Director of Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall, Ding Pengbo, Deputy Director of the National Museum of China, Qiu Hanqin, Dean of School of Tourism and Service, Nankai University, Hu Jing, President of Hubei Regional Tourism Research Institute, Central China Normal University, Gu Huimin, Dean of School of Tourism Science, Beijing International Studies University, and representatives from other postdoctor training units.

    During the exchange of results between postdoctoral researchers, postdoctor representative Liu Xianghua from CTA introduced the research result with the title of “Analysis on the Development of Ice and Snow Economy in China”.

Dr. Wang Xueji, Associate Professor of School of Geography, Tourism and Culture, Associated College of Angers University and Ningbo University, released the result with the title of “Mobility Experience, Relationship and Politics in Road Travel: a Case Study of Sichuan-Tibet Highway”.

 The afternoon forum was presided over by Dr. Song Ziqian, Chief Strategic Researcher of CTA.

Round table discussion 1 - “New Pattern of Tourism Development and Growth of Young Talents” was presided over by Dr. He Qiongfeng, Director of Data Institute of CTA. Associate Professor Gong Jian from Central China Normal University, delivered a speech titled “New Normal Tourism Talent Growth has Enabled Tourism Destinations’ Revitalization in the Post-epidemic Period”, and Postdoctor Cao Yang from CTA, delivered a speech titled “Construction of High-end Think Tank and Mission of Tourism Young Talents”. Discussions around the training and growth of young artistic talents, digital transformation of tourism enterprises, construction plan of young talents team, tourism safety, etc. were carried out between Liu Liming, Vice Director of Planning Department of National Arts Fund Management Center, Chen Xiaohua, President of Zhejiang Send Intelligent Tourism Research Institute, Liu Xuefeng, Director of Chongqing Culture and Tourism Information Center (Data Center), Xiao Jianyong, Vice President of Henan Culture and Tourism Research Institute, Professor Zou Yongguang from Department of Tourism Management, Huaqiao University, and Associate Professor Liu Xiaorong from School of Business Administration, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics.

    Round table discussion 2 - “Tourism Transformation and Upgrading and Theoretical Innovation of Young Scholars” was presided over by Dr. Yang Jinsong, Director of International Study Institute of CTA. Dr. Ye Xinliang, Professor of Shanghai University of Engineering Science, delivered a speech titled “High-quality Development of Cruise Tourism Promoted by Research and Innovation”, and Dr. Wang Xiaoyu, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Yunmengshan Culture and Tourism Group, delivered a speech titled “High-quality Culture and Tourism Development and Self-improvement of Young Scholars”. Discussions around the connotation of tourism transformation and upgrading, the theoretical innovation mode of young scholars, the theoretical innovation combining science and technology, sports, climate and tourism, etc. were carried out between Professor Tian Caiyun from School of Tourism, Beijing Union University, Zhuang Ying, Researcher of Information Department of the Palace Museum, Bu Naipeng, Vice President of Institute of International Tourism Science, Shandong University, Dr. Zhu Shunnan from China Tourism Group Research Institute, Postdoctor Shi Ruiying from Tourism Research Center, Institute of Financial Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Associate Professor Yang Xiaoyan from Minjiang University.

    The forum collected research reports, academic papers, monographs and other research results of postdoctors in culture and tourism management disciplines from all over the country and organized the evaluation on those results. Song Ziqian, Chief Strategic Researcher of CTA, released the list of excellent results and the second list of the results supported by CTA Postdoctoral Research Library. Tian Li, Vice Director of Academic Committee of CTA and Professor of School of Tourism and Business Administration, Yunnan University, awarded certificates to the authors of the outstanding postdoctoral achievements.

    President Dai Bin delivered the closing speech with the title of “the People’s Nature of Mass Tourism and the Modernization of Tourism”.