Zhang Juan is a tour guide from East China's Shandong province, and also an outdoor travel anchorwoman. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhang Juan, a tour guide from East China's Shandong province, delivered a speech at the ongoing 2022 APEC Virtual Seminar, which is being held from July 19 to 22. It was the first time that a Chinese tour guide has been on the podium at an APEC conference.

"I'm a tour guide from Mount Tai in Tai'an, Shandong province, and also an outdoor travel anchorwoman. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the travel and tourism industry, and its related areas, a great deal. The tourism industry experienced a 'cold winter' due to the pandemic, and it has also negatively impacted how we make a living," said Zhang.

Zhang added that in the face of the pandemic, and the great opportunities created by technology, she chose to become a livestreamer to broadcast the beautiful scenery of Mount Tai, which is a world cultural and natural heritage site.

Riding the wave of the booming livestreaming industry, Zhang is experiencing the sweet taste of success. She conducted over 1,000 outdoor live broadcasts in two years, and shot more than 800 pieces of short videos related to Mount Tai culture. Her website has received more than 20 billion views. Currently, Zhang has more than 1.5 million followers on social media platforms.

She said that she both participates and benefits from the digital era. Over the past two years, she began to think that tour guides should keep up with the pace of the times and take advantage of the emerging technologies. 

"Tour guides should actively embrace new opportunities brought by the self-media era, and have an in-depth understanding of the new development trend in the culture and tourism sector," Zhang added.