A briefing session on the 2026 "Vibrant China" Media Tour in Hunan, organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, was recently held in Changsha. Gong Tiejun, member of the CPC Leadership Group and deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, noted that in the first half of the year, the province's total number of domestic and international tourist trips increased by 4.94% year on year, and its total tourist spending rose by 4.58%. The province recorded 1.2573 million inbound tourist trips during the period, with total spending reaching 788 million USD, representing year-on-year increases of 16.59% and 30.90% respectively. The cultural and tourism market was generally stable with steady progress.

In the first half of this year, related authorities across the province jointly carried out more than 2,000 pro-consumption activities such as the "Riding the Tide in Xiaoxiang: Welcome to Hunan" 2026 Hunan Spring Cultural and Tourism Consumption Season and the First Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Cultural and Tourism Shopping Consumption Season. Over 50 million CNY in consumer vouchers were distributed, and 20 blocks and scenic areas were designated as provincial-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption clusters. At the Sixth Hunan Tourism Development Conference, private investment accounted for 95.47% of all key observation projects, while those focused on revitalizing existing assets and upgrading quality represented 85.7%. Xiangtan, the host city of the conference, registered a growth rate of over 5% for three consecutive months in terms of total industrial output value of enterprises above designated size. More than 28,000 new urban jobs were created in the first five months of this year. All these highlighted the significant role of the culture and tourism sector in supporting the local economy.

Construction of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area  has commenced. So far, comprehensive surveys have been completed across 38 counties in five cities. Three supporting documents have been issued covering policy guarantee, action guidance, and project support. The logo, promotional slogan, and the first batch of eight inbound tourist routes for the area have been unveiled. The province has continued to carry out activities such as "Foreign Influencers Exploring Hunan," and conducted cultural and tourism exchanges in six countries and regions. A total of 13 million CNY in incentives for attracting visitors to Hunan in 2025 has been approved.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism