(Yicai Global) Oct. 27 -- The China Industrial Tourism Development Union was established in Tangshan in Hebei province. Several industrial enterprises from Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin aim to promote industrial tourism and advance industrial cities.

With more than one hundred years of industrial development, Tangshan boasts rich industrial cultural heritage, state-run Xinhua news agency reported yesterday. Some of China's modernized factories have become famous scenic spots. Exploring industrial tourism resources and turning them into cultural attractions has become an effective way of promoting urban transformation and development.

Tangshan has turned some of its industrial heritage, such as steam locomotives, old railways and mechanized coal mines, into tourism resources. The city has seven national-level demonstrative industrial tourist attractions and three provincial-level ones. It received nearly 3 million visitors last year.

Members of the union include home appliance heavyweight Qingdao Haier Co. [SHA:600690], dairy giant Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. [SHA:600887] and steelmaker Beijing Shougang Co. [SHE:000959].