An American visitor and his companions recently immersed themselves in traditional farming activities at a homestay in Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City in Hunan Province, adding a unique flavor to their trip. They tried their hand at harvesting, threshing, winnowing, and carrying rice.

"We also took a helicopter tour to admire the panoramic views of the mountain peaks. It was a real visual feast," the American tourist said. He described his journey in Zhangjiajie as magical and joyful, offering him a more tangible understanding of rural life in China.

Foreign tourists experience farming culture at a homestay in Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City. (Photo/Deng Daoli)

Foreign tourists try their hand at making Tujia brocade products at the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Cultural Creative Park in Zhangjiajie. (Photo/Zhou Jing)

At the Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Cultural Creative Park within the Zhangjiajie Cultural Tourism Creative Industrial Park, visitors raved about the diverse range of cultural and creative products. Here, guests can not only learn about the culture and techniques of Tujia brocade, but can also sew their own sachets and experience traditional plant dyeing.

During his cultural excursion in Zhangjiajie, an Italian photographer was treated to a variety of folk performances and intangible cultural heritage skills. "It was a delight to enjoy these every time, especially those distinctive ethnic costumes and headpieces. It has been a fantastic cultural experience for me," he said.

A South Korean tourist coincidentally arrived in Zhangjiajie during the Qixi Festival or Chinese Valentine's Day, embracing unexpected moments at the Qixing Mountain Scenic Area. On the day of the festival, foreign artists from the Zhangjiajie Philharmonic Orchestra performed classic Chinese melodies such as "Blooming Flowers and Full Moon" and "Jasmine Flower" on the Sky Eye Glass Viewing Platform on Qixing Mountain, located 1,520 meters above sea level. The visitor added, "Listening to beautiful music amidst the stunning scenery of Qixing Mountain made my trip particularly special and joyful.”

Tourists from home and abroad queue up to enter the "Charming Xiangxi" Theater. (Photo/Tuo Haixia)

With an increasingly diverse range of tourism offerings, Zhangjiajie's global appeal continues to grow. Data shows that from January to July this year, the city received 722,300 inbound tourist visits, with total spending reaching 376 million USD, marking a year-on-year increase of 14.2% and 16.42%, respectively. South Korea remains Zhangjiajie's largest source of inbound visitors, while significant growth was also seen in tourists from the United States, Germany, Italy, and other European and American countries.

Meanwhile, Zhangjiajie continues to enhance its international standing in transportation, accommodation, dining, and payment services. As one of China's first key cities designated for optimizing payment services, Zhangjiajie aims to provide higher-quality, more effective and more convenient payment services for foreign visitors.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews