Xue Zhanhai, mayor of Yan'an, appears on the TV show Charm China to promote his city. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Charm China will include 32 cities and run through the end of this year.

"These cities are either low profile or those that people have stereotypical views about," says Tang Lin, producer of the show. "Small cities can also have big charm."

He says local officials know their cities well and can act like "anchors" to guide each episode.

Tang says that the promotional ideas created by these cities can be tested on air but due to time limits, city representatives must make full use of their best campaign methods.

Spectators in the studio and online viewers also poll to decide which cities might be appealing for future episodes, which will be shot in parts in such destinations.

He says the program was made to change the perception that many Chinese cities "look the same and lack individual features" because of similar urbanization plans.

"We can provide a banquet of different cultures from all over the country," Tang says.

Yin Hong, a professor at Tsinghua University, says the show is a good attempt to promote a city's tourism while exploring the cultural context. "It's a new way of marketing," he says.

The concept of "whole area tourism" was included in the annual Government Work Report of 2017 delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the Two Sessions in March. It aims to expand tourism attractions from single scenic spots to entire cities to improve service and coordination between different sectors.

"China's tourism needs new orientation," says Yu Guomin, a communications professor at Beijing Normal University, adding that Charm China is an early advocate of the new approach.