Red tourism booms in Shaoshan in summer
2023-08-21
She prepared to receive five groups of tourists who were about to check in. “Now the occupancy rate of the rooms is basically over 95% every day. Business is good, but we need to provide better services,” said Mao Guhua.
From July 1 to 31, Shaoshan’s various tourist attractions received 657,400 visitors, a year-on-year increase of 94%, and the comprehensive tourism income reached 887 million yuan, a year-on-year growth of 207%.
In August, the office workers’ trips to Shaoshan on their annual leaves continued to boost its cultural and tourism industry. Homestays, Red-themed performances, and other consumption formats continued to release vitality.
Shaoshan is the hometown of Mao Zedong, the founder of New China. This land, where 147 revolutionary martyrs and more than 1,700 righteous people sacrificed themselves for national independence and people’s liberation, has now become one of China’s most popular Red tourism destinations, receiving more than 20 million visitors every year.
Taking advantage of the development opportunity of all-for-one tourism, Shaoshan has focused on Red themes in recent years and explored a new path of multi-format cross-border integration and development.
While consolidating the foundation of Red tourism, it has also catered to the development of fashion trends and enriched the cultural and tourism products.
Presenting Red cultural and tourism resources in a way that young people love is a consistent goal of Shaoshan. According to an official of the Shaoshan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Sports, Shaoshan focuses on Red-themed performances, which has continuously improved its IP reputation. “The Most Memorable Shaoshan” has become a must-see performance for tourists visiting Shaoshan.
Huang Ling, marketing director of Shaoshan Runze Dongfang Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd., said that in order to enhance tourists’ viewing experience, the scenic area has updated projection and lighting equipment, and added a sunshade canopy in the outdoor viewing area that can accommodate more than 1,500 visitors.
The increase in the number of tourists has further stimulated the local homestay economy. Currently, there are 32 members in the Shaoshan Tourism Homestay Association. Since the summer vacation, the average daily occupancy rate of most member homestay inns has exceeded 80%.
“We will exchange information among homestay inns, divert tourists during the peak tourism season, recommend suitable accommodations based on tourists’ needs, and retain tourists in Shaoshan. We hope to create the Shaoshan Red homestay brand in the form of ‘homestay alliance plus’,” said Shen Chuhua, president of the Shaoshan Tourism Homestay Association.
