WTA Chair ZHANG Xu Attends the 13th Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival

November 10, 2023 – The 13^th Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival, a significant event in the global tourism calendar, was inaugurated in Huangshan, Anhui. The opening ceremony was announced by WANG Qingxian, the Governor of Anhui Province. Distinguished attendees included Mr. ZHANG Xu, WTA Chair, SUN Yong, Deputy Governor of Anhui Province, with a video address by ZHU Shanzhong, Ambassador of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The event, hosted by the People’s Government of Anhui Province and organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Anhui Province and Huangshan Municipal People’s Government, saw participation from over a hundred travel businesses from more than thirty countries and regions, including the United States, Russia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions of China.

In his speech, Mr. ZHANG Xu highlighted the Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival’s role in strengthening cooperation, understanding cultural and tourism trends, enhancing the quality of tourism, and bolstering consumer confidence in the tourism market, noting the vital role of tourism as a channel for intercultural exchange and understanding. The World Tourism Alliance (WTA), by leveraging its position as a platform for international and domestic collaboration, will continue to support Anhui’s integration into the global tourism community and its vision to become a world-class cultural and tourism destination showcasing the spirit of China and the unique charm of Anhui.

Deputy Governor SUN Yong outlined Anhui Province’s goal to nurture tourism as a pillar industry. He spoke of adapting to new trends in tourism consumption, advancing major scenic area development, driving large projects, fostering significant enterprises, and striving to build Great Mount Huangshan into a world-class leisure and vacation destination. The province is undertaking six major projects, including new tourism landmark construction, boutique rural leisure tourism development, tourism capacity enhancement, tourism consumption promotion, brand communication, and service upgrades, all under the banner of “Beautiful Anhui Welcomes the World.”

UNWTO Ambassador ZHU Shanzhong, in his video address, commended the UN agency’s ongoing efforts to foster global tourism development and cooperation. He praised Anhui’s unique conditions for developing its cultural tourism industries, aligning with the UNWTO’s mission. The high-quality development of tourism in Anhui, the construction of Great Mount Huangshan as a world-class leisure destination, and the high-standard organization of the Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival are highly congruent with the UNWTO’s objectives, contributing significantly to global tourism exchange and mutual prosperity.

The Anhui International Culture and Tourism Festival, now in its thirteenth iteration, has become an important platform for showcasing Anhui’s cultural soft power, promoting international cultural and tourism exchange, and driving high-quality development in Anhui’s cultural and tourism sectors. This year’s festival focuses on deepening the integration of culture and tourism, highlighting the unique Anhui charm, and promoting the development of Great Mount Huangshan as a world-class leisure and vacation destination. It features a rich array of activities, including art exhibitions, tourism promotions, and consumer benefits, with 28 key events coordinated across 16 cities in the province.