Xiangtan Taps Tourism Festival To Boost Culture, Attract Visitors

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- The 2025 Hunan Red Tourism and Culture Festival, alongside the fourth Xiangtan Tourism Development Conference, concluded in Shaoshan County, Xiangtan City of Hunan Province on July 11, spotlighting the region’s cultural legacy and tourism ambitions.

The two-day event, held under the theme “Aspiring to Shaoshan ・ Meeting in Hunan for the Future”, featured the “Motherland is So Beautiful” poetry recital and the official opening ceremony as its central attractions, according to a statement from the organising committee.

Xiangtan, a key city in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Metropolitan Circle, is steeped in over 1,500 years of history and has produced cultural luminaries such as Jiang Wan, Zeng Guofan and Qi Baishi. It remains a cornerstone of Huxiang culture.

Tourism in Xiangtan saw solid growth in the first half of 2025, with tourist numbers up 7.3 per cent and tourism revenue climbing 10.8 per cent. The city continues to blend culture and tourism through diverse, immersive events at major scenic sites.

Xiangtan has leveraged national and provincial events like the Red Expo and Red Tourism and Culture Festival to run themed initiatives—such as consumption and music festivals—to enhance branding and attract visitor spending.

Recent efforts include regional outreach through conferences and promotions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and eastern provinces like Jiangsu and Zhejiang, helping expand tourism markets and deepen cooperation.

To accommodate growing inbound interest, Xiangtan is upgrading tourism infrastructure and payment systems, aiming to position itself as a globally recognised cultural tourism hub.

-- BERNAMA