7.2 billion USD of cultural tourism projects inked in central China

People watch a performance at a tourist attraction in Zhuxi County of Shiyan City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

Fifty cultural tourism projects with a total contract value of 51 billion yuan (about 7.2 billion U.S. dollars) were signed in central China's Hubei Province during an international travel agents conference held on Sunday.

Travel agents from major domestic resort cities and nearly 30 countries and regions that are key sources of inbound tourists to China, along with domestic key tourism group leaders, attended the conference, aiming to boost the recovery of China's inbound tourism sector and establish Hubei as a world-class tourist destination.

During the conference, 17 city-level regions across the province inked 50 cultural tourism projects with a total investment estimated to reach 59.5 billion yuan.

Hubei also launched five boutique routes for international travels during the event, covering its renowned Shennongjia World Heritage Site, Wudang Mountain and the Three Gorges.

Themed on developing cross-border tourism and enhancing mutual learning among civilizations, the 2024 global travel agents conference in Hubei was hosted by the provincial culture and tourism department and the municipal government of Shiyan City, attracting more than 300 participants.