Overview of tourism

Ordos city has rich tourism resources with vivid characteristics of region nationalities. Humane tourism resources mainly consist of Hetao People Cultural Site, Ordos bronze wares, Ancient Great Wall, Qin Highway, Zhaojun Tomb, Tongwan City (capital of Xia Dynasty), Twelve Nearby Cities Site, Tomb of Genghis Khan (the greatest emperor), Arzhai Rock Cave (the so-called Dunhuang Rock Cave in Grassland), Jungar Temple (Tibetan Buddhism temple), etc. Currently, there are five key cultural relics under the state-level protection across the city. Taking the Tomb of Genghis Khan as its core, the sacrifice culture of Mongolian in Ordos is full of mystery. Over the past eight hundred years, Da Er Yi Te people guarded the tomb generation by generation. The tomb has light that never goes out. Meanwhile, since Ordos used to be the royal feud in Yuan Dynasty, its cultures related to songs and dancing, fashion, foods have all inherited the royal culture of Yuan Dynasty, forming the rich and special nationality culture as well as immensity of folk customs of Ordos. The natural tourism resources of Ordos include Ku Bu Qi Desert, Mao Wu Su Sandlot, the magical Sounding Sand Bay, Oasis in Desert, Sand Lake, grassland, springs, Alax Bay Ichthyaetus Relictus Protection Zone, Jinmeng Yellow River Grand Canyon, etc. The modern industrial tourism resources of Ordos include Shendong Grand Coal Mine, Jungar Coal Mine in open air, Wanjiazhai Hydropower Station, Ordos Wool and Textile Mall, Sulige Natural Gas Field, Dalate Power Factory, Mengxi High-Tech Industrial Park, etc.


The tourism industry of Ordos started to develop from 1984 and 1985 when the Sounding Sand Bay and the Tomb of Genghis Khan opened to the public successively. Along with the opening-up, the tourism industry of Orods also experienced the change from focusing on overseas tourists only to attracting both domestic and overseas tourists. In recent years, the municipal committee and municipal government of Ordos have adopted the policy that the government plays a dominant role in the development, with all circles participating in and making contributions together, developed tourism plans, accelerate the construction of tourism infrastructure, enhance fund raising, investment attracting and actively increase the public’s motivation to develop tourism industry, and effectively and efficiently exploit tourism resources. Currently, there are 35 different kinds of scenery areas (points) across the city, among which the Tomb of Genghis Khan and the Sounding Sand Bay are AAAA-grade scenery areas of China, Engebei Demonstration Zone, Century Park of Precious Birds and Batu Bay are AAA-grade scenery areas of China. Engebei Demonstration Zone and Shendong Grand Coal Mine are within the first batch of state-level agricultural tourism demonstration areas and industrial tourism demonstration areas. The Tomb of Genghis Khan – Sounding Sand Bay tourism route has become a golden route in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for tourists traveling to Western China, with the Tomb of Genghis Khan, nationality features, desert ecology and grassland scenes as its highlights. Tourism service facilities are being improved. At present, there are 18 star-rated hotels in Ordos, among which there is 1 four-start hotel and 5 three-star hotels; 30 travel agents are operating currently in the city, among which there is 1 international travel agent; there are 13 A-grade scenery areas, and practitioners directly engaged in the tourism industry reach more than 10,000. In line with the continuous improvement of the market, tourists keep increasing. By the end of 2005, Ordos has had 20 star-rated tourism-oriented hotels and restaurants, 4 AAAA-grade scenery areas, and 30 different kinds of tourism agents, and has provided hospitality to domestic and overseas tourists of 3.10 million person-time (among which overseas tourists were 11,000 person-time), increasing 37.8% compared with the same period last year and realized tourism revenues of RMB 1.863 billion, increasing 94.1%. By the end of 2006, Ordos has had 25 star-rated tourism-oriented hotels and restaurants, 40 A-grade scenery areas, and 39 different kinds of tourism agents, and has provided hospitality to domestic and overseas tourists of 3.8 million person-time, increasing 22.9% compared with the same period last year and realized tourism revenues of RMB 2.338 billion, increasing 25.5%. By the end of 2007, Ordos has had 28 star-rated tourism-oriented hotels and restaurants, 40 A-grade scenery areas, and 42 different kinds of tourism agents, and has provided hospitality to domestic and overseas tourists of 4.38 million person-time, increasing 15% compared with the same period last year and realized tourism revenues of RMB 3.89 billion, increasing 66%. The tourism industry of Ordos has stepped into a fast development stage.

In future, pursuant to the strategy of the municipal committee and municipal government regarding the development of Grand Tourism and constructing Ordos into a must-see tourism destination, in consideration of the overall tourism image of Ordos where the soul of Genghis Khan has rested in peace and featured with Mongolian cultures, we will make every effort to build renowned tourism brands in Ordos, construct the tourism development structure involving five areas, two routes and one center. The five areas are Tomb of Genghis Khan Tourism Area which highlights the holiness of the area since the greatest emperor was buried there and the Mongolian cultures as its theme products; Kubuqi Desert Ecological Tourism Area (main scenery areas include the Sounding Sand Bay, Engebei Demonstration Zone, Kubuqi Sounding Sand Belt of 100 km, Seven Star Lake, Singing Sand At Night, etc.) which highlights desert beauties, desert exploration and entertainment, desert holidays as its theme products; West Ordos Grassland Cultural Tourism Area (main scenery areas include Ordos Grassland Tourism Area, Yihe Wushu Spring, Baole Haoxiao Spring, Dinosaur Footprint Fossil, Arzhai Rock Cave, etc.) which takes ancient species and mysterious legends as is themes to develop scientific exploration, ancient site visiting, and grassland springs and holiday products; Hetao People Cultural Tourism Area (main scenery areas include Dagou Bay Hetao People Cultural Site, Batu Bay Reservoir, Tongwan City, Khan Palace, Ordos Cultural Tourism Village, etc.) which takes visiting Hetao People Cultural Site and enjoying southern scenes in Ordos as its themes to develop grassland visiting, scientific exploration, holiday products related to water areas; East Ordos Tourism Area (main scenery areas include the Yellow River Grand Canyon, Wanjiazhai Hydropower Station, Jungar Coal Mine in open air, the King of Chinese Pines, Jungar Temple, etc.) which takes the magical Yellow River Grand Canyon and birthplace of Monglian and Han’s folk songs to develop tourism products related to beauties of the Yellow River Grand Canyon. The two routes are Beijing-Ordos-Yinchuan tourism route and Xi’an-Ordos-Baotou tourism route. The center means to build Ordos into an outstanding tourism city in China and to leverage its tourism functions as a tourism center. Six types of tourism products including sacrifice culture, folk customs, desert entertainment, scientific exploration of ecology, industry sightseeing, spending holidays in water areas will be actively promoted to vigorously build the overall tourism image of Ordos where the soul of Genghis Khan has rested in peace and featured with Mongolian cultures, aiming to make Ordos the No.1 choice for tourists to experience Mongolian cultures in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, become world-renowned tourism area featured with nomad cultures, the popular tourism area in Northern China and the tourism leader in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
 
Scenery Areas

Name
 
Grade
     
    Location
 
Contact
 
Tomb of Genghis Khan
AAAA
Yijin Huoluo Banner
0477-8961017
Tomb of Genghis Khan Tourism Area
AAAA
Yijin Huoluo Town, Yijin Huoluo Banner
0477-3965588
Sounding Sand Bay Tourism Area
AAAA
Shulin Temple Village, Dalate Banner
0477-3963355
Engebei Tourism Area
AAAA
Wulan Village, Dalate Banner
0477-5211448
Ordos Cultural Tourism Village
AAAA
Bula Gesumu, Etuoke Qian Banner
0477-7872108
Century Park of Precious Birds Tourism Area
AAA
Bojianghai Town, Dongsheng District
0477-8181032
Batu Bay Tourism Area
AAA
Batu Bay Village, Wudinghe Town, Uxin Banner
0477-7529018
Jiuchenggong Ecological Tourism Area
AAA
Hantai Town, Dongsheng District
0477-8535388
Ordos Grassland Tourism Area
AAA
Xini Town, Hangjin Banner
0477-6880032
Daotu·Seven Star Tourism Area
AAA
Dugui Tala Town, Hangjin Banner
0477-6898818
Uxin Temple
AAA
Uxin Temple Town, Uxin Banner
0477-7430172
Zhaojun Palace Tourism Area
AA
Hepan Village, Zhaojun Town, Dalate Banner
0477-5921053
Jixiang Fuhui Temple
 
AA
Taige Sumu, Yijin Huoluo Banner
0477-8971004
Sand Lighting At Night Tourism Area
 
AA
Bayin Wusu Town, Hangjin Banner
0477-6880032
Qigainao Tourism Area
 
AA
10km south of Nalin Xili Town, Yijin Huoluo Banner
 
Sugeli Temple
AA
Sumi Tusumu, Etuoke Banner
0477-6282018
Jungar Temple
AA
Shenshan Town, Jungar Banner
0477-4883091
Taohai Temple (new temple)
AA
New Temple Village, Yijin Huoluo Banner
 
Shini Temple Desert Oasis Park
A
Shulin Temple Village, Dalate Banner
0477-3960077
Zhuanlong Bay Tourism Resort
A
Buer Taige Village, Yijin Huoluo Banner
0477-8902021
Khan Palace Tourism Area
 
Shanghai Temple Town, Etuote Qian Banner
0477-7871185
Erdos Cashmere Group Industrial Tourism Area (state-level industrial tourism demonstration area)
 
 
 
102, South Dalate Road, Dongsheng District
0477-8535342
Shendong Grand Coal Mine Industrial Tourism Area (state-level industrial tourism demonstration area)
 
Wulan Mulun Town, Yijin Huoluo Banner
0477-8270100
Dalate Power Factory Industrial Tourism Area
 
Shulin Temple Town, Dalate Banner
0477-5295613
King of Chinese Pines Tourism Area
 
Yangshita Town, Jungar Banner
0477-4883091
Baole Haoxiao Grassland Spring Tourism Resort
 
Baole Haoxiao Town, Etuoke Banner
0477-6501188
Diyan Agui Temple Tourism Area
 
Wuren Duxi Gazha, Qipanjing Town, Etuoke Banner
0477-6555086
Arzhai Rock Cave Baiyan Well Tourism Area
 
Suhai Tugacha, Qipanjing Town, Etuoke Banner
0477-7529028
Yellow River Grand Canyon Tourism Area
 
Longkou Town, Jungar Banner
 
Dagou Bay Scenery Area
 
Dagou Bay Village, Chengchuan Town, Etuoke Qian Banner