Linyi tourism officials take questions from 28 university students

Linyi's culture and tourism officials met 28 students from Linyi University on Oct 22 to hear their views on ticket prices, transport and promotion, in a session billed as asking students what they need and what they would change.

The city side included officials from the municipal culture and tourism bureau and the Linyi cultural tourism development center, along with representatives of the city tourism association, Linyi Cultural Tourism Group and six scenic areas including Langya Ancient Town, Shuiyun Langya, Zhucun village, the Red Sisterhood Hometown scenic area and the Underground Grand Canyon.

Students raised practical obstacles. One tourism management student said free or discounted tickets were attractive, but a round trip by taxi to Mengshan cost 100 to 200 yuan, and total spending stayed high; he suggested a package combining transport, admission and a meal, or a direct bus service to county-level scenic areas.

Association representatives acknowledged the gap: student day tours priced around 100 yuan often fail to run because minimum group sizes are not met, public buses do not reach county-level sites, and independent travel is expensive without a car. Students also said discount rules differ between scenic areas and information is scattered across separate social media accounts, with some venues rejecting student ID screenshots.

On promotion, students said they choose destinations through Douyin, Xiaohongshu and classmate group chats, and described official content as too formal. One suggested recruiting students as tourism ambassadors to make vlogs.

Asked where they would take visiting friends, students named Langya Ancient Town and the Former Residence of Wang Xizhi, recommended Linyi stir-fried chicken, and said they would book hotels priced at 80 to 100 yuan.

A student from Fuyang in Anhui province said his parents had visited the Dongyi Museum and the Confucian Temple when they brought him to Linyi, and that the family ate Linyi stir-fried chicken and sa (a local beef and grain soup) every day.

Officials said every suggestion would be taken back for review with the association and scenic areas, and that more favorable policies would follow to bring more students to the city's attractions.

Editor：韩蒙蒙