On the morning of June 30, the establishment conference of the Greater Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Industry-Education Integration Community was held in Jiuquan. Responsible personnel and guests from Northwest Normal University, Jiuquan Vocational and Technical University, Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Group Co., Ltd., and other member units attended the meeting.

The meeting noted that Gansu boasts abundant cultural and tourism resources, and that advancing the high-quality development of the cultural tourism industry depends crucially on talent and hinges on innovation. The establishment of the Great Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Industry-Education Integration Community, leveraging the coordination of "government, industry, enterprises, universities, and research institutions" as its link and aiming to cultivate high-quality cultural tourism talent, will effectively integrate educational resources and industrial elements, injecting strong momentum into Gansu's cultural tourism development. The Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism prioritizes core capacity building for the "Great Dunhuang Circle," vigorously promotes the creation of a nationally significant cultural heritage and innovation base, advances the Hexi Corridor National Heritage Route development, supports the Great Dunhuang Circle construction, boosts innovation-driven growth of the community, builds new platforms, and infuses fresh dynamism.

The meeting emphasized that the establishment of the Greater Dunhuang Cultural Tourism Industry-Education Integration Community actively responds to the provincial Party committee and government’s "Strengthening Talent" strategic initiative, represents an innovative exploration in advancing the cultural and tourism powerhouse development, and provides robust support for the "Hexi Corridor National Heritage Route Construction." The community is expected to achieve new breakthroughs in future development. The meeting outlined three key requirements:

Mechanism Innovation: Building a "Gansu Model" for Industry-Education Integration

The community must leverage Gansu’s unique cultural tourism strengths to explore market-oriented and standardized operational models. It should establish long-term mechanisms for talent co-cultivation, process co-management, and outcome sharing. Leading units must maximize their advantages to create a collaborative ecosystem where "industry demands guide supply and institutions provide targeted training."

Deepening Integration: Cultivating New Growth Drivers for Cultural Tourism

By aligning with the digital and international trends in cultural tourism, the community must ensure precise alignment between curriculum design and industry needs. It should develop industry-education integrated training bases, enabling students to master cutting-edge technologies through practice and enhance innovation capabilities through collaboration. These steps aim to effectively resolve talent supply-demand mismatches in the sector.

Strengthening Service Functions: Expanding Regional Influence

The community should base itself in Jiuquan while serving the entire province and radiating nationwide. Beyond supplying regional talent, it must drive talent development in rural tourism and intangible cultural heritage preservation, integrating rural revitalization with cultural tourism growth. The goal is to transform the community into a critical platform for regional socioeconomic development and jointly write a new chapter for Gansu’s industry-education integration in cultural tourism.

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