Shanxi province decided recently to promote its tourism advantages by using a video on the China Showcase in New York City’s popular Times Square. The video will have a Jan 7-to-Oct 20 run, showing 20 times a day, with a "Perfect Shanxi, beautiful Shanxi" theme.

It covers some of the province’s famous scenic spots, as well as its culture, for a perfect combination of nature, a long history, special folk culture and unusual old buildings.

The province’s tourism business has seen some great development in recent years, thanks to the promotions and publicity from its tourism bureau. In 2012, income from the tourist business grew more than 35 percent.

The China Showcase in New York city's Times Square is regarded as a window through which foreigners can catch a glimpse of China and is an entirely new approach for Shanxi province to promoting it overseas.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw