China's Intangible Cultural Heritage Boosts Tourism Industry

Beijing's ports handled 178,000 entries and exits during the holiday, a 14.8% increase from the same period last year. Among them, 54,000 were foreign visitors, representing a 34.7% increase and accounting for approximately 30.3% of the total. The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau organized over 1,700 events under the theme "Dragon Boat Festival in Beijing: Summer Fun," allowing inbound tourists to enjoy the festive atmosphere. A French tourist expressed their love for zongzi, both sweet and savory, and looks forward to eating them with friends every year during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Xi'an, an ancient city, has become a hotspot for international tourism, with its Tang-style cultural immersion experiences, such as the Long-An Timezone Theme Park, gaining popularity among foreign visitors. According to statistics from the Shaanxi Border Inspection Station, over 17,000 people entered and exited the country during the holiday. Relevant departments have introduced new measures, such as travel promotion services and convenience services for enterprises, to enhance the international reputation of Xi'an's cultural tourism.

In Hubei, the hometown of Qu Yuan, the Dragon Boat Festival also attracted a large number of foreign tourists. The convenient visa-free policy allowed foreign friends to explore Hubei more deeply, visiting famous landmarks like the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan and scenic spots like the Three Gorges in Yichang and the Enshi Grand Canyon. Data from the Hubei Border Inspection Station shows that the number of entries and exits at ports in the province increased by 21.1% during the holiday.

China has implemented a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Japan and South Korea, leading to an increase in short-term cruise ship tours in provinces like Liaoning and Shandong. Liaoning introduced the "Mountain and Sea, Journey to Liaoning" cultural tourism project, becoming a hotspot for young tourists from Japan and South Korea. Since May, the region has launched several cultural tourism promotion activities centered around cruise ship departures and sports events, attracting a large number of tourists to visit and play in Liaoning. The number of inbound tourists has grown significantly, with the Liaoning Border Inspection Station handling over 140,000 foreign visitors, a 40% increase, and Japanese and Korean tourists accounting for 71%.

China's traditional cultural festivals and rich cultural heritage are attracting an increasing number of foreign tourists to experience the country. The intangible cultural heritage, such as the exquisite necklaces of the Sui dynasty and the Sichuan opera's face-changing technique, are important elements in attracting foreign tourists. The cultural heritage of China, including its traditional festivals, is a significant draw for tourists, with the Sui dynasty's most exquisite necklace and the face-changing technique of Sichuan opera being testaments to China's rich history and sources of fascination for tourists.

The preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage are essential for the development of tourism in China. By experiencing China's traditional culture, tourists can gain a deeper understanding of the country's history and customs, which can help to enhance their travel experience and create lasting memories. As a result, China's cultural heritage is becoming an increasingly important aspect of its tourism industry, with more tourists seeking to experience the country's traditional festivals, customs, and skills.

The development of intangible cultural heritage tourism has made the tourism industry more prosperous, and with the addition of visa-free policies, intangible cultural heritage has further promoted the development of the tourism industry. However, intangible cultural heritage should not become a means to attract tourism traffic; instead, the development of tourism and the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage should be mutually supportive and develop together.

In the future, China will continue to promote the development of intangible cultural heritage tourism, innovating and inheriting the charm of Chinese culture, attracting more foreign tourists, and promoting the further development of the tourism industry. The integration of intangible cultural heritage and tourism will become a new driving force for the development of China's tourism industry, adding cultural connotations to tourist attractions and enhancing the overall tourist experience. By promoting the deep integration of intangible cultural heritage and tourism, China aims to create a new model for the development of its tourism industry, one that is driven by cultural creativity and innovation, protecting and inheriting intangible cultural heritage while creating new opportunities for the development of China's tourism industry, driving economic growth and promoting cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world.