Zhangjiajie in Hunan province held its first international tourism innovation week recently to meet the increasing demand from the overseas tourism market, and to offer better services.

According to the local government, as of September this year, Zhangjiajie had received 1.29 million inbound tourists, an increase of 255.5 percent year-on-year. Visitors came from 183 countries and regions.

The area is renowned for its natural beauty and spectacular geological formations. It is home to the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is known for its towering sandstone pillars, dense forests, and deep ravines.

At the 2024 Zhangjiajie International Tourism Innovation Week in late October, guests from nine countries and regions, including South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom, gathered to share their insight. Drawing from regional resources and their experience of tourism development, they contributed ideas and suggestions. In a variety of forums and sessions during the week, the guests presented innovative solutions to improve the area's cultural and tourism landscape.

Liu Ge'an, secretary of the Zhangjiajie Municipal Party Committee, said that the city has been pursuing the goal of becoming a world-class tourist destination and that the 2024 Zhangjiajie International Tourism Innovation Week would provide new momentum and support to this endeavor, offering fresh perspectives and solutions for the advancement of the area's tourism industry.

A series of collaborations and tourism agreements were signed during the course of the week.

"We hope to use the week to provide a platform to international entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers to innovate, share and collaborate. By transcending geographical and cultural boundaries, we aim to promote the exchange and mutual study of global tourism, as well as of culture and civilization," said Wang Xu, who was part of the team behind the event.