Beijing Tourism keeps up with global art trends on social media

BEIJING, China – As the capital city of China and an art and cultural heritage center,Beijing is taking the lead in art engagement and the introduction of creative ideas through the help of globally-known artists and travelers from around the world.

Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, to mark the launch their online campaign – #WeHeartBeijing photo contest, where artists and art students are invited to make derivative artwork based on photo submissions by global travelers, has invited Monsters of New York to take the leading role in “letting creativity spin and go viral”. The bright and cheerful cartoon monsters that once appeared in every corner of New York City are making their first-ever appearance inChina – at the Forbidden City in Beijing – via photo-illustration.

“Although I have never been to Beijing before, I’m expecting to see a modern city with a really old heritage background,” said Sadi, creator of Monsters ofNew York

Monsters of New York is a series of photo illustrations created by Sadi Tekin, aNew York based industrial designer and illustrator, who has been creating Monsters ofNew York since 2013.

#WeHeartBeijing – A heartfelt appreciation of “camera eye” with an opportunity to win a free trip to Beijing!

With a thorough understanding of the tendency for travelers to upload photos they took inBeijing, Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development made an ambitious attempt to engage global travelers through launching a worldwide global photo contest – #WeHeartBeijing – in early October.

The photo contest consists of 2 phases: In the 1st phase, entering the contest is as simple as submitting a photo previously taken inBeijing via Facebook tab/ Instagram. While in the 2nd phase, participants submit their selfies previously taken on the Great Wall to take part in a global Great Wall video collaboration.
In both phases, participants are entitled to enter a lucky draw for the chance to win the Grand Prize – each of the 5 winners will get 2 round-trip tickets to visitBeijing with accommodations.

The first phase was a remarkable success with thousands of submissions from over 40 countries/regions, while the 2nd phase is happening till late January 2015. The final Lucky Draw for the Grand Prize will be conducted after the 2nd phase ends.

“Travel is a way to look for inspiration and a process to be creative via exploring art, photography and literature. We sincerely hope global travelers will record their journey inBeijing in the most creative way possible,” said Mr.Zhang Jing, Director of Department of City Image and Marketing, Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development.

In recent years, major cities in China have been establishing their voice on social media, adapting a global yet personalized approach to promote tourism, whilst providing a detailed account of the city’s unique culture, heritage and local stories.

Beginning with the Visit Beijing Facebook page in 2013 with a fan base reaching nearly 100,000 fans today, Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development introduced themselves on 4 other key social media platforms in 2014, including Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube.