During the Duanwu Festival holiday, a total of 957 entities included in the provincial statistical analysis received more than four million tourist arrivals, an increase of 80.60% compared to the previous year. The total revenue reached 482 million yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 53.88%.

A total of 347 tourist areas that were included in the statistical analysis received more than 3.5 million tourist arrivals, an increase of 84.78% compared to the previous year. The total revenue reached 413 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 56.9%. Visitor arrivals at national 5A-level scenic spots surged by 88.14% year on year to 748,800. The total revenue was 169 million yuan, up 59.85%. With its internet fame, Changsha remained the most popular destination within Hunan. According to data from Qunar, a Chinese online travel agency, the top five popular destinations in Hunan were Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Xiangxi, Chenzhou, and Yueyang. Changsha saw a nearly three-fold increase in visitor arrivals during the holiday compared to 2019, and Zhangjiajie experienced a 1.2-fold increase. Changsha's Wuyi Commercial District once again ranked first nationwide in terms of bookings.

In addition, 404 hospitality firms received a total of 161,500 overnight visitor arrivals, generating a total revenue of over 62 million yuan, an increase in both figures. A total of 206 cultural service units received 487,700 visitor arrivals, representing a year-on-year increase of 73.71%. Among the entities surveyed, 209 new cultural and tourist units received more than 1.4 million visitor arrivals, an increase of 98.87% compared to the previous year. The total revenue reached 147 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 65.03%.

During the Duanwu Festival holiday, various regions across the province focused on the theme of the "Duanwu Festival," delving into and expanding the cultural and tourist implications and arranging a variety of distinctive folk activities.

The Changsha Intangible Cultural Heritage Center organized traditional activities such as xiabu cloth-making and Changsha palm-leaf weaving, which were favored by tourist families with children. Tongchongkou, a thousand-year-old Yao village in the Jianghua Yao Autonomous County in Yongzhou City held the Yao Medicine Festival, showcasing its local characteristics. To welcome the influx of tourists, traditional folk activities such as dragon boat races and duck-chasing were organized in Fenghuang Ancient Town, Biancheng, and Pushi Ancient Town.
 
The grandest event among the folk activities was the dragon boat racing. In Miluo, during the 2023 Hunan International Cultural Tourism Festival and Activities Commemorating the 2300th Anniversary of the Death of Qu Yuan, three dragon boat races were held, including an international race, a domestic race, and a folk race, each showcasing its own charm. Eight international dragon boat teams rowed vigorously on the Miluo River, allowing international participants to deeply experience this traditional Chinese sport and enjoy extraordinary fun.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn