In May, Fenghuang Ancient Town in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture enjoys clear skies and fresh air, resembling an ink-wash painting. This "national historical and cultural city" has welcomed tourists from the United States, Russia, Germany, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, and many other countries. As of May 14, the town has received a total of 77,900 international visitors this year, marking a 22.51% increase compared to the same period last year.
 
"Even if the pronunciation isn't perfect, it does not matter. As long as we communicate with enthusiasm and friendliness, we can always make a deal," said Xu Tongtong, a local vendor selling Miao embroidery products. The surge in foreign tourists has taken many businesses in Fenghuang by surprise. To break down language barriers, merchants of all ages have taken the initiative to learn English, download translation apps, and actively engage with the international community.

Two Russian visitors, Katerina and Katya, spent three days in Fenghuang. They bought their favorite floral teas at a handmade -tea shop, and tried DIY batik canvas bags at a wax-dyeing workshop, experiencing the blue-and-white magic of this traditional craft. German tourists Letizia and Yuri visited a local grandma's pickles shop. UnderWith the warm invitation of a Miao grandmother, they tasted Fenghuang-style pickles for the first time. They saiddeclared, "The combination of sour and spicy is just right. We've never had such interesting food before."

To better serve international visitors, four tourist centers in Fenghuang Ancient Town now feature signage in Chinese, English, and Korean, along with trilingual guide brochures. To address payment issues, over 200 merchants in the ancient town have installed POS machines that accept foreign bank cards. Authorities have also placed two self-service foreign currency exchange machines at the Nanhuali Tourist Service Center and Qifeng Square Tourist Service Center. Additionally, tourists can reserve English-speaking guides at the service centers for full tours conducted entirely in English.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan