On June 25th, the “Charming Beijing” photo exhibition and Public Open Day activities, hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, kicked off at the Festival Square in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The exhibition features near 50 photos of 5 themes including Capital Beijing, Fashionable Beijing, Modern Beijing, Cultural Beijing, and the Forbidden City of Beijing.

It shows the rich history and culture, as well as rapid development of Beijing. The performances of Chinese folk art including the dragon dance, lion dance, and Beijing opera costume exhibition have attracted many Edinburgh residents to watch and photograph during the opening ceremony.
Ma Wen, deputy inspector of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, addressed the opening ceremony. He said that both China and the UK have a long history, fine traditions, rich cultural and tourism resources, and he hoped to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation, enhance the friendship between Edinburgh and Beijing residents, and carry on the culture of the two historic cities through this event.
Furthermore, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism invited Hainan Airlines to promote Beijing-Edinburgh direct flights. And the interactive activities including Beijing opera costume try-on, Beijing photo booth, VR experience, calligraphy workshop, and hand-making lanterns enabled Edinburgh residents to experience Beijing culture closely to enhance Beijing’s tourism appeal as a historic and cultural capital.
According to the host, foreign tourists from the UK to Beijing reach 180 thousand to 200 thousand each year, accounting for 4% to 5% of Beijing’s total. Many of these tourists are from Edinburgh. Besides, more people are expected to travel to Beijing with the launch of Beijing-Edinburgh direct flights.