Gateway to scenic splendor

The Xuefeng mountain range, with 96 percent forest coverage and a unique mountain climate, is a natural summer resort of southwestern Hunan, with great development potential to fill the gap in high-end tourism related to mountains and all-season vacations in the region.

Changde city in northwestern Hunan boasts the beauty of Peach Blossom Land, the scene of Hejie, and the rice civilization of the Chengtoushan site park. In Peach Blossom Land, a large area of peach forests adorn the green mountains; tourists can also boat on Qinxi River and watch live performances. In Hejie, visitors can admire ancient architecture by day and enjoy the lively street atmosphere by night. Meanwhile, Chengtoushan is home to 6,000-year-old ruins, where agricultural experiences and simulated archaeology bring ancient civilization to life.

Li Aiwu, director of the Hunan department of culture and tourism, said that the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area aims to achieve five major outcomes. One is upgrading business forms, which involves increasing the proportion of non-ticket revenue; shifting tourism from sightseeing tours to vacation and experiential tours; and developing one to two nationally renowned brands in areas such as night tours, outdoor activities and educational tourism. Another is cultivating three to five leading local cultural and tourism enterprises, and introducing two to three internationally noted tourism brands.