Hunan eyes integrated tourism development for further growth
Province already boasts popular scenic spots but hopes to leverage brand-building, improved transport links to attract more visitors, Liang Kaiyan reports.
Hunan province has published an action plan to promote comprehensive crossregional, cross-industry tourism development in the next three years, as part of its efforts to become a top tourist destination.
The action plan, published in July, focuses on building Hunan’s famous tourism brands and realizing a combined total annual output for the industry of 100 billion yuan ($14.43 billion) by 2020, through the promotion of innovations among tourism enterprises and by encouraging cooperation between the tourism industry and related sectors.
Chen Xianchun, director of the Hunan Tourism Development Commission, described the development of comprehensive tourism as encompassing the experiences offered by different regions and industries, and integrating these with ecology, culture and technology.
“Tourism is a life experience,” he said, adding that “the industry should offer more benefits and diversified experiences to tourists by mobilizing all the resources at its disposal and make full use of various technological platforms like big data and e-commerce”.
Regional tourism cooperation will also be deepened to develop more tour routes, Chen added.
Located in Central China, Hunan is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization boasting rich historical, cultural and natural resources.
In recent years, the province has expanded tourism development by combining the sector with other related areas, such as through its continued efforts to integrate culture and tourism.
The province is home to a number of famous sights such as the music drama staging of the Legend of the Fairy Fox of Tianmen in the renowned tourism city of Zhangjiajie; and the Peach Blossom Spring Scenic Area in Changde city, inspired by the ethereal utopia created by Eastern Jin Dynasty (317420) poet Tao Yuanming.
This year, a series of cultural events such as the Huanglong music festival and a national kayak race were held in the Wulingyuan district of Zhangjiajie, attracting a growing number of visitors from home and abroad, according to Zheng Xiaohu, director of the district.
In August, the number of tourists visiting Wulingyuan increased by about 18 percent year-on-year, Zheng said.
From January to June, the total number of tourists coming to Hunan reached 350 million, an increase of 10.65 percent year-on-year, according to Hunan Tourism Development Commission.
During the National Day holiday period on Oct 1-7, Hunan welcomed 60.41 million visits by tourists, an increase of 15.33 percent year-on-year. Tourism revenue grew 18.81 percent to 35.72 billion yuan.
This year, Hunan was listed as one of the world’s “top 10 best-value destinations to tempt frugal travelers” by Lonely Planet, the leading travel guide publisher.
The Lonely Planet guide book cites Zhangjiajie for its “amazing sandstone canyon with almost 250 bizarrely shaped peaks” and “the world’s longest glass bridge opened in 2016”; Fenghuang as “a stunning historic town that quite literally hangs over the Tuojiang River”; and the provincial capital of Changsha for its “fiery Hunan cuisine”.
In addition, the province’s well-established transportation network is also helping to attract tourists from home and abroad.
Changsha Huanghua International Airport is opening more routes to regions including Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia.
On Sept 23, the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou Kong Express Rail Link officially went into operation. Three trains per day are now scheduled to travel between Changsha and Hong Kong, taking less than four hours each way.
Following this development, Hunan plans to organize more tourism events targeting residents of Hong Kong.
It will also aim to introduce new tourism products for self-driving and family trips, by partnering with renowned tourism enterprises from both home and abroad.
“With the implementation of a cross-regional and crossindustry tourism strategy, Hunan is offering more diversified and personalized experiences to tourists from home and abroad,” said Gao Yangxian, deputy director at the Hunan Tourism Development Commission.
Tourism is a life experience. The industry should offer more benefits and diversified experiences to tourists...” Chen Xianchun, director of Hunan Tourism Development Commission