On November 3, a press conference in the series on Hunan's achievements during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period (2021-2025), with a special session by Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, was held in Changsha. As the birthplace of China's "targeted poverty alleviation," Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture has explored a path of high-quality development over the past five years through the coordinated advancement of cultural tourism integration and characteristic industries.

The integration of culture and tourism has achieved remarkable results, with Xiangxi meticulously crafting the "Mysterious Xiangxi" cultural tourism IP and innovatively launching a diversified business format of "travel photography + performing arts + festivals." The digital light and shadow drama "Border Town" has driven the nighttime economy's share to 40%, while the attendance rate of the 5D theater "Dehang Illusion" has consistently exceeded 95%. The added value of the prefecture's cultural tourism and related industries accounts for over 12% of GDP, boosting the income of more than 500,000 people. The "China Village Chefs and Village Arts Competition" event attracted over three million participants, transforming multiple villages into internet-famous spots. In 2024, Xiangxi received 62.042 million tourist visits, with total tourism revenue reaching 69.13 billion yuan, representing increases of 47.5% and 77.8% respectively compared to 2020, with average annual growth rates reaching 10.2% and 15.5%. The "Mysterious Xiangxi" IP has garnered over 10 billion online views. From 2020 to 2024, the prefecture's regional gross domestic product (GDP) grew from 72.51 billion yuan to 85.59 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 4%.

Characteristic industries have risen to prominence, with the high-performance aluminum-based composite material cluster in Luxi County emerging as a standout, where the output of manganese nitride and micro-spherical aluminum powder accounts for 80% and 23% of the global market share respectively. The "Manganese Triangle" area in Huayuan County has achieved industrial transformation through environmental remediation, with forest coverage increasing to 86%. The prefecture's characteristic agricultural area spans over four million mu, establishing nationally important bases for tea and selenium-rich agricultural products.

A new chapter has been opened in ethnic unity, with Xiangxi innovatively taking innovative steps to promote ethnic unity and progress, and setting up 10 research bases for forging the sense of community for the Chinese nation. The prefecture has successfully promoted Tujia Daliuzi (Baishou dance accompanied by the beating of gongs and drums) and other ethnic cultures to the world stage, and "Miao Ganqiu or Autumn Harvest Festival" has been included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Xiangxi was once again honored as a National Model Prefecture for Ethnic Unity and Progress in 2023, and will host the 13th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in 2027.

The achievements in poverty alleviation have been continuously consolidated, with Xiangxi establishing a mechanism for monitoring and preventing the return to poverty through "farmer reporting, cadre visits, and departmental screening," and setting up a dedicated relief and security fund. The annual per capita net income of farmers in Shibadong Village increased from 18,000 yuan in 2020 to 28,000 yuan, while that of farmers in seven surrounding villages rose to 17,000 yuan. The prefecture has dispatched 1,159 work teams and 3,475 village officials, achieving full coverage for 1,167 villages lifted out of poverty and resettlement villages (communities) for poverty alleviation relocation, thereby safeguarding the bottom line against large-scale return to poverty.

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn