Yangzhou Opens Government Canteens for Six Years: Innovation and Inspiration in Cultural and Tourism Services

Yangzhou, a city famous for the phrase "descending to Yangzhou in the third month of spring," has been opening its government canteens to tourists during holidays since 2019, a pioneering move in China. This initiative not only alleviates dining pressure during peak tourist seasons but also serves as a bright business card for Yangzhou's cultural and tourism industry.

The opening in Yangzhou began with the "Document No. 3," specifically designed to serve tourists. During the 2019 Qingming Festival, the municipal government canteen opened for the first time, accommodating 800 visitors. The canteen offered Huaiyang-style simple meals at cost price, receiving enthusiastic responses from tourists.

The service was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in 2021 and became normalized in 2023. This year's May Day holiday saw the canteen serving 2,291 tourists, a 77% increase from the previous year.

Yangzhou has continuously improved its services, providing facilities such as self-service water stations and power banks, simplifying parking registration procedures, and increasing the number of parking spaces to 2,481. The canteen introduced 20-yuan and 25-yuan meal sets, ensuring that tourists enjoy "famous shop quality" at "canteen prices."

Yangzhou's openness is not just about physical space but also about shortening psychological distances. Tourists feel welcomed, making Yangzhou feel more approachable.

Lesson: Yangzhou's practice shows that public services can be a powerful driver for cultural and tourism development. By optimizing details, cities can not only attract tourists but also win their hearts. This service-oriented philosophy centered on tourists is worth emulating by other cities.