During China’s annual National Holiday, Henan Province is no stranger to influxes of tourism. With these hundreds of events, from health-conscious events focusing on Zen and Tai Chi to the more artistic, such as enamels and folk culture, this “Hometown Henan” – coined so because Henan Province offers visitors a feeling of returning home – is sure to continue developing in leaps and bounds, meaning there is plenty for visitors to see in this land of culture.
Scenic Excursions
Culture can be the quintessential spirit and motivation of traveling, under the tight bond of culture plus tourism, many major scenic spots seized opportunities to highlight their cultural “assets”. For example, Mount MangDang held several cultural events such as the Han Yun Chrysanthemum Exhibition, Chinese Coming-of-Age Ceremony, and Thousand People Banquet. Such an accurate display of Chinese culture was a sight to behold. “You usually only see time travel in movies and T.V., but you get to experience it here. It makes people feel like they were part of a Han Dynasty court from 2000 years ago,” praised tourist Zhang Hui, who had made a previous trip to Mount MangDang.
Jiaozuo Chenjiagou’s “Taichi Master’s Journey”, Xuchang Zhangzhou Enamel Open Kiln Festival were also among the cultural activities held during Golden Week.
Smart Travel
Smart service was a highlight of the 2018 Golden Week. During this period, smart tourism projects such as online ticket purchase, smart route selection and facial recognition at the entrance of the park have enabled tourists locally and abroad to experience a convenient and comfortable trip.
In Luoyang, “Poetry Longmen” (An app for tourists to learn poems related to Longmen Grottoes) of Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area and other smart tourism projects have been put online so that tourists can get a detailed introduction to the scenic area through their phones. The Mangdangshan Scenic Area has made tourism traffic more accessible through big data sharing. The area’s self-driving trips have increased by more than 40% compared with 2017, but there was no congestion at all this year.
Rural Tourism
Rural tourism has also emerged as a growing trend during Golden Week. Leisure vacations, rural sightseeing, and self-driving camping satisfied the needs of tourists. More than 430,000 tourists were received at various rural tourist spots in Xinxian County. “Nine Towns and Eighteen Bays”, such as Western River Bay, Tianpu Bay, RV Town, and other attractions, were full of tourists. Rural self-driving was very popular, and tourists could experience farm work, pick fresh fruits and enjoy pastoral life when they come to the countryside.
Thoughtful Service
The implementation of tourism voluntary service has greatly improved the satisfaction of tourists. During the festival, volunteer service stations were all over the major stations, intersections, squares, and tourist attractions, providing civilized guidance, accommodation, catering consultation, free emergency medicine and other services to tourists, so as to make the image of “Hometown Henan” more deeply rooted in the hearts of the tourists.
Henan province is home to a large number of heritage sites including the ruins of Shang dynasty capital city Yin and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China, Luoyang, Anyang, Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou are located in Henan. The province has seen a total of 61.66 million visits and with a comprehensive income of 46.5 billion yuan from October 1st to 7th, it is no surprise that it’s ranked among the best destinations in China. The tourism department runs a Facebook page (@discoverhenan) with over 135k followers to help boost tourism to Henan.
SOURCE Henan Provincial Tourism Administration
