28 Apr Do you know what Summer Davos is?

Dalian and Tianjin, different and daring destinations!

Do you dare to go, travellers

Here at Coverontrip travel insurance, we thought we’d talk about something a little different in this post: Summer Davos and the Chinese cities it’s hosted in each year. If you have no idea what this is, then keep reading and we shall enlighten you!  

In 2007, the World Economic Forum (WEF) founded the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos. It’s attended by around 2,000 participants from 90 different countries and held every year in the People’s Republic of China; alternating between the cities of Dalian and Tianjin. The WEF New Champions China brings together the fastest growing companies, leaders of large multinationals, governments, media and personalities from the world of technology, innovation and science. It’s a global gathering where major issues facing society are discussed and addressed, such as economics, politics and the environment. 

The 2018 event will take place this June in the city of Tianjin, having been held in Dalian last year. Neither of these cities are on the holiday trail exactly, so we thought we’d shed a bit of light on them.

Good to know – Chinese currency 

Contrary to what some people think, the currency of China is the Renminbi (RMB). Many people mistake this for the Yuan, but this is actually just a unit of the Renminbi (like how a pound is a unit of sterling). Other units of the Renminbi are the Jiao and the Fen. 1 Yuan is 10 Jiao and 1 Jiao is 10 Fen. At Coverontrip travel insurance we always recommend travelling with the local currency whenever it’s possible to do so, and in China the Renminbi is freely available to tourists.  

Dalian – perfect port city for travellers 

The city of Dalian has many attractive features, beyond the fact it co-hosts the WEF New Champions China conference. It’s located on a Peninsula in the Korea Bay part of the Yellow Sea (and as you may guess, it’s very close to the Koreas, which are to the west). It has a mild climate which has made its beaches popular with tourists, as well as a busy port city.  

In addition to its climate and beaches, another great attraction of Dalian is the restaurant scene. There are many seafood dishes featuring local catches from the Yellow Sea, which are unique to this region. 

Summer is a perfect time to visit, as you can enjoy the beaches, walk through the streets and squares, and enjoy the beautiful landscape. But spring is also a great time to travel to Dalian as the cherry trees are beginning to blossom at this time of the year, creating a beautiful spectacle.   

Tianjin – an ancient world to discover 

Across the bay to the East of Dalian is the city of the Tianjin. This is also a busy port city and it’s for this reason that the city is now a popular holiday destination in China. For more than 600 years, the ancient world and the modern world have mixed with one another here, making Tianjin a unique enclave that unites both sides of the same coin; the traditional and the new China. 

 One of the main attractions of Tianjin are the boat trips that visit its historic bridges. You can also visit the second longest bridge in the world, the Tianjin Grand Bridge which carries the Beijing to Shanghai High Speed Railway and measures a whopping 70 miles. 

The nightlife in Tianjin isn’t bad either. There are some notable party areas that have a great atmosphere such as the Little Italy neighbourhood. This features bars, flea markets, restaurants and karaoke… a fun option that you can complement with some unique culinary culture on the banks of the river! 

So whilst you may not be on the delegate list for the Summer Davos summit, that shouldn’t deter you from visiting these fascinating cities in China. And if you do decide to head east, don’t forget the importance of travel insurance. At Coverontrip holiday insurance, 6 days of cover for China starts at just £17.00 for a 25 year old. So get a quote for holiday insurance to China now.