Beijing News You Might Have Missed This Week, Sep 16

Universal Studios Beijing Resort expansion infuses local culture:  Beijing authorities recently unveiled a plan to commence the second phase of the Universal Studios Beijing Resort. Due to be started before 2025, it will build on the successful first phase which opened in Sep 2021, reports Yicai. The resort, a joint venture between Universal Pictures and Beijing Tourism Group, has quickly become one of Beijing's tourist hotspots. Once fully completed, the 400-hectare site is set to be the world's largest Universal Studios resort. The upcoming phases will infuse more Chinese elements into the resort, enhancing its appeal. Additionally, the General Manager of Beijing Tourism, Bai Fan, disclosed plans for two major consumer centers to be developed to the north and east of the resort.

Beijing boosts tourism with direct flights to Wulong, filming location for Transformers IV: China Southern Airlines has initiated twice-weekly flights from Beijing to Wulong, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Chongqing, Southwest China, reports China Daily. The service, starting Sep 11, aims to stimulate tourism. This scenic location, famous as the backdrop for the Transformers: Age of Extinction movie, is now a three-hour flight away from the capital. Passengers land at Fairy Mountain's Xiannyushan Airport, China's only civil airport within a 5A-level scenic spot. Fairy Mountain's is a mere 10-minute ride from the airport. 

The 2023 Beijing Culture Forum Showcases Global Cultural Exchange: The 2023 Beijing Culture Forum kicked off in the Chinese capital on Thursday (Sep 14), reports CGTN. Under the theme of "Inheritance, Creativity and Mutual Learning," the forum is poised to showcase the city's cultural heritage while fostering global exchanges. As part of the event, Beijing will reveal its top ten cultural milestones of 2022. The forum, which expects over 600 domestic and international cultural enthusiasts, is further enriched by related activities, including an evening gala at the historic Big Air Shougang and the Beijing Autumn Book Fair.

Read: Beijing News You Might Have Missed This Week, Sep 9

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