All in Mao's memory

Updated: 2014-10-17 07:10

By Hua Yang in Hong Kong(HK Edition)

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It's a tribute to the memory of Chairman Mao Zedong when the city government of Xiangtan, Hunan province, launched a tourism campaign in Hong Kong on Thursday to promote the birthplace of the late mainland leader.

Entitled "Beautiful China - A Great Man's Hometown", the event kicked off at Harbour Grand Hong Kong Hotel with the aim of allowing Hong Kong people to appreciate the unique experience of a trip to Xiangtan.

About 100 executives from Xiangtan and Hong Kong, as well as representatives from the travel industry and the media, attended the function to coincide with "Visit Xiangtan Year 2015".

All in Mao's memory

At the event, more than 60 scenic photos of Xiangtan taken by Wu Liancheng, honorary chairman of the Chinese Photographic Association of Hong Kong, were exhibited, enabling visitors to have a grasp of the lifestyle, charm and flavor of the city.

Xiangtan, known as Tanzhou in the ancient times, is situated in the center of Hunan province along the middle reaches of Xiangjiang River. It is only 40 kilometers from the provincial capital Changsha, or Zhuzhou, which make up a "golden triangle" of politics, economy and culture in the province.

Xiangtan offers more than 100 popular attractions, including its marvelous natural beauty, such as mountains and rivers, and rich human resources. Besides Mao, Xiangtan is also the birthplace of other prominent revolutionaries, such Peng Dehuai and Chen Geng.

Jiang Feng, director of the Xiangtan Municipal Committee's publicity department, said Xiangtan has embarked on a fast track in tourism development, with tourism projects advancing rapidly since 2007, when the city was also named mainland's "Excellent Tourism City".

According to the city government, four million tourists visited Xiangtan during this year's National Day "Golden Week" holidays - up 17 percent compared with last year - raking in revenues of nearly 1 billion yuan ($163.3 million).

"It has become much easier for Hong Kong people to experience the culture of Xiangtan. With ready access to the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway, it only takes three hours from Guangzhou to reach the 'golden triangle' in Hunan province. And Xiangtan warmly welcomes Hong Kong residents to the city to enjoy its unique way of life," said Jiang.

amandahua@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 10/17/2014 page8)