The 2016 Sino-Russian Red Tourism Cooperative Exchange and China (Hunan) Red Tourism Festival got underway in Ningxiang, Changsha, on Nov 14.

Red tourism, also called revolution-era tourism, is gaining popularity in China as the government pumps money into developing sites related to the Chinese revolution and seeks cooperation with Russia.

Hunan, as the hometown of Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi, two renowned revolutionary figures, has profound red tourism resources. Over the course of the festival there will be revolutionary themed activities, such as red tourism conferences, photographic exhibitions, and a self-driving tour.

Chinese and Russian singers perform a chorus of Katyusha at the launch ceremony of Hunan Red Tourism Festival, on Nov 14. [Photo by Liu Jialu/news.com.cn]

In the first three quarters of this year, 5,239 tourists, up 50.6 percent, from Hunan province visited sites in Russia associated with the former Soviet Union and the communist revolution. In return, Hunan has received 21,311 tourists from Russia, a year-on-year increase of 15.8 percent.

The event will help to foster tourism ties and exchanges between the two neighboring nations, said Wei Hongtao, deputy director of the National Tourism Administration.

Officials from the Chinese and Russian tourism sector launch the festival on Nov 14. [Photo by Liu Jialu/news.com.cn]