WTA Chair ZHANG Xu Attends 2025 Henan Provincial Cultural Tourism Development Conference

On the evening of June 26, 2025, the 2025 Henan Provincial Cultural Tourism Development Conference commenced in Kaifeng. Present at the opening ceremony were WANG Song, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and Director of the Provincial Publicity Department, who delivered a speech; LI Ya, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Vice Chair of the Provincial People’s Congress; JIANG Ling, Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group, Vice Chair of the Provincial People’s Congress, and Secretary of the Luoyang Municipal Party Committee; and SONG Zhenghui, Vice Governor of Henan Province. Mr. ZHANG Xu, Chair of the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), was invited to attend and address the event.

In his speech, Mr. ZHANG Xu remarked that Henan, as a cradle of the Chinese nation and civilization, stands as a leading cultural and tourism powerhouse in China. In recent years, leveraging its rich cultural and tourism resources, the province has made remarkable strides in building the “Walking through Henan, Understanding China” brand. As an international organization in the tourism sector, the WTA is committed to utilizing its platform strengths to support Henan in developing into a world-class tourist destination. By promoting high-quality cultural and tourism growth, the WTA aims to enhance international people-to-people exchanges and foster global friendships, allowing more visitors to “understand China through the heartland’s heritage”.

The opening ceremony featured the release of a promotional video on Henan’s cultural tourism consumption incentives, along with presentations by renowned cultural figures and tourism ambassadors showcasing the province’s abundant resources. An immersive performance vividly brought to life Henan’s profound history and local traditions. The event also marked the official launch of the 2025 Henan Cultural Tourism Consumption Season.