Yichang’s inbound tourism market continues to heat up, with 290,000 tourist arrivals in the first eight months, a 33% year-on-year increase.

Recently, Yichang’s Xiba Nightless City launched activities such as “gourmet food + performances,” forming an “all-weather, multi-scenario” experience matrix that has been well-received by tourists.

At 19:35 on September 16, 80 tourists from Hong Kong arrived at Yichang Sanxia International Airport via Greater Bay Airlines flight HB850. Over the next three days, they will visit iconic attractions such as the Three Gorges Dam, Qu Yuan’s Hometown, and the Three Travelers Cave, deeply experiencing Yichang’s natural scenery.

“They have chosen the ‘Shenwuxia’ international eco-cultural tourism route. After their itinerary in Yichang, they will proceed to Enshi, Shiyan, and other locations to continue visiting attractions such as the Enshi Grand Canyon, Wudang Mountain, and Shennongjia,” said the deputy general manager of the inbound department of Hubei Xiazhou International Travel Agency.

Since the beginning of this year, Yichang’s inbound tourism market has maintained rapid growth. From January to August, the city received a total of 290,000 inbound tourists, generating international tourism revenue of 900 million yuan, representing year-on-year increases of 33% and 35%, respectively. According to data from the Ctrip platform, online bookings for inbound tourism to Yichang saw a 33% increase in passenger numbers and a 34% increase in order value compared to the same period last year, with both growth rates ranking second in the province.

The rise in Yichang’s inbound tourism benefits, on one hand, from the optimization of China’s transit visa-free policy—extending the stay duration to 240 hours and expanding the list of eligible countries to 47. On the other hand, Yichang Sanxia International Airport has opened and stabilized six international and regional routes, providing tourists with convenient and comfortable access to Yichang.

To further expand the tourist source market, since the second half of last year, the municipal culture and tourism bureau has organized task forces to promote tourism in key source countries such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. They have also invited over 300 key travel agents from South Korea, the United States, and other countries to Yichang for inspection tours on eight occasions.

“5A-level scenic spots and Three Gorges cruises are our core attractions. Coupled with the newly designed cultural and tourism route ‘Shenwuxia’ in our province this year, the promotion efforts have yielded significant results,” said a relevant official from the municipal culture and tourism bureau. “Especially in the Hong Kong market, after two inspection tours, the charter flight occupancy rate has sharply increased from 15% at the beginning of the year to an average of 80% in July and August.”

The general manager of a travel agency also noted positive changes in the structure of inbound tourist sources. “Previously, tourist sources were mainly from neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. This year, there has been a noticeable increase in tourists from long-haul markets such as the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and the United Kingdom. During the May Day holiday, we received an average of six European and American tour groups per day.”

Anticipating the recovery trend in inbound tourism, a Hubei-based international travel agency specifically established an inbound center and launched multiple themed tourism products such as ‘Shenwuxia’ and ‘Three Gorges + Three Kingdoms,’ successfully attracting tourists from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and other places.

“Yichang’s inbound tourism market still has significant potential,” said the director of the inbound center of the travel agency. “With continued market development, an increasingly diverse product system, and further improvements in convenience, Yichang’s inbound tourism is expected to maintain its positive momentum.”