Xiangyang, a city in central China's Hubei Province that is known for renowned military strategist Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), held a cultural tourism festival from Sept. 7, featuring the city's rich historic culture and exquisite scenery, according to the Publicity Department of the CPC Xiangyang Municipal Committee.
The month-long festival includes art shows, Formula 1 motorboat world championship, bridge tournament, air balloon competition and a variety of other activities relating to Zhuge Liang, attracting tourists from China and abroad.
Innovation has been through all those activities. The combination of culture, tourism and sports pools the city's resources into an all-for-one tourism mode. The combination of press conference, field tours and exhibition of tourist commodities gives an all-round display of the abundant tourist attractions. The online-offline-new media coverage of the festival brings an even larger audience.
Local features have also been highlighted during the event. In addition to variety galas incorporating cultural heritage elements, calligraphy exhibition on famous ancient calligrapher Mi Fu also drew many fans. Sports competitions such as motorboat and balloon presented the most beautiful parts of the ancient city from above water and air.
All-media coverage is another bright spot of this year's festival. The Formula 1 motorboat world championship has been the first global top-level sports event ever hosted in the 2,800-year-old city. Dozens of national-level media outlets and websites live-broadcast the game. The hot air balloon competition was also put on the state television. Over 80 million people watched the live show of the opening ceremony of the festival.
A wide participation by local residents is seen everywhere. A total of 13 galas in public squares and communities not only drew a large audience, but also attracted many to perform on stage. Model workers, honorary citizens and ordinary people were invited to watch the top-level sports games and even fly with a hot air balloon to experience the cultural development the city has achieved over the years.
Scientific organization and precision management are the keys to a successful festival. An estimated over 100,000 people watched the motorboat and air balloon games, which put unprecedented pressure on security and traffic. Authorities of police, traffic, urban management, power supply and telecommunication coordinated perfectly to ensure a smooth while heated celebration.
Source: The Publicity Department of the CPC Xiangyang Municipal Committee
