THE Chinese government on Wednesday released guidelines to promote the high-quality development of educational travel in the field of archaeology. These guidelines highlight the benefits of utilizing China’s archaeological resources for educational purposes. The guidelines state that educational travel “is conducive to preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture, as well as enhancing the public’s scientific literacy and humanistic spirit.” Educational travel, also known as study travel, combines education and tourism to provide students with opportunities to engage in hands-on educational experiences and research-based learning outside the traditional classroom setting. Provincial cultural relics administrative departments are instructed to compile and publish a list of locations for archaeological study travel. Institutions involved in archaeology, including archaeological site parks, museums, research institutes, and excavation sites, are encouraged to organize educational travel activities, according to the guidelines. To ensure the quality of archaeological study travel, the National Cultural Heritage Administration will oversee the certification of qualified bases and incorporate such travel into the development and operation of national archaeological site parks and related museums. Moreover, the guidelines emphasize the importance of prioritizing public welfare in archaeological study travel. Efforts should be made to provide more affordable products and services targeting young people, while also offering appropriate fee reductions for special groups such as low-income families. In the guidelines, the government stressed safety and the orderly operation of study travel activities. Cultural relics administrative departments at all levels are required to closely monitor the facilities, visitors, and activities related to study tours, taking necessary measures to rectify any issues or suspend operations if necessary. China’s 55 national archaeological site parks received over 67 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 135% compared to the previous year. The surge highlights the growing popularity of such parks as a new hot ticket in cultural tourism.(Xinhua) | 