From September 19 to 21, the 22nd China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition was held at the Guilin International Conference and Exhibition Center in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. With the theme of "Welcome to Charming Hunan," Hunan Province organized representatives from 13 cities and one prefecture to participate in the event, extending an invitation to ASEAN countries.

Hunan's cultural tourism resources make a debut at the China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition Area. 

The Hunan Pavilion, centered around the brand image of "Welcome to Charming Hunan," featured over 40 participating organizations and more than 120 exhibits. It showcased Hunan's five cultural and tourism calling cards, distinctive local products, the construction of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Zone, Hunan's inbound tourism policies, and the achievements in friendly exchanges with ASEAN countries.

Many visitors view exhibits at the Hunan Pavilion. 

Within the Hunan Pavilion, a range of intangible cultural heritage products and cultural tourism commodities with distinctive Hunan characteristics were on diplay, such as Xiang embroidery, Liuyang fireworks, chrysanthemum stone carvings, Liling porcelain, Miao embroidery, Tujia brocade, Nvshu works, and Anhua dark tea, which attracted numerous visitors who stopped to admire them. The pavilion also came alive with a series of performances, including the group dance "Yao Village Charm," the flower-drum opera "Liu Hai Cuts Firewood," the solo song "Spicy Girl," and the interactive parade "Elegance of Tang Dynasty." 

The specialty products showcased at booths from various cities and prefecture have been well-received by both residents and tourists.

Interactive activities such as QR code scanning for gifts, stamp collection, and tasting experiences were also offered at booths from various cities and prefecture. Popular items included Changsha cultural tourism-themed tote bags, Yongzhou Nvshu postcards, Huaihua Dong herbs for foot soaks, Loudi five-color rice, and Shaoyang Langshan picture albums. Cultural and creative products like Xiangtan's Qi Baishi-themed items, Zhuzhou ceramics, and Chenzhou canvas bags and sachets were well-received. To date, Hunan Pavilion has received over 6,000 visitor inquiries and distributed nearly 10,000 copies of promotional materials.

The photo shows the construction of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area and the tourism-friendly exchange zone with ASEAN countries. (The photos above provided by the correspondent) 

In recent years, cultural and tourism exchanges between Hunan and ASEAN countries have grown increasingly close. Hunan has repeatedly conducted tourism promotion and cultural exchange activities in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, and other ASEAN nations. The province has also invited diplomats and travel agents from Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, and other countries to conduct expedition tours in Hunan. ASEAN countries have become major sources of inbound tourists for Hunan. The province will continue leveraging platforms like the China-ASEAN Expo to promote its cultural and tourism resources, expand cooperation channels, and optimize its service system. These efforts will further enhance the international influence and market competitiveness of the "Welcome to Charming Hunan" brand.

This year's exhibition centers on the theme of "Deepening China-ASEAN Cultural and Tourism Cooperation, Jointly Building an RCEP Tourism Economic Circle." The event aims to use inbound tourism as a breakthrough point to advance transformation and upgrading of tourism cooperation between China and ASEAN countries from "tourist exchange" to "value co-creation." The exhibition area features six thematic pavilions and one inbound tourism service center, with a total exhibition space of approximately 60,000 square meters.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan