"Happiness" is a calling card of Changsha, and at the 41st Seoul International Travel Fair, Changsha handed this card to South Korean tourists. Currently, Changsha is participating in the fair as a representative city of Hunan, promoting Changsha's cultural tourism and attracting visitors to Hunan. Following the 2025 Seoul promotion event and the visit of South Korean photographers to Changsha this May, this marks another key activity in Changsha's ongoing efforts to expand the South Korean inbound tourism market.

The Changsha cultural tourism promotion event attracts widespread attention from tourists. (Photo provided by the organizer)​

During this fair, Changsha held a dedicated cultural tourism promotion conference, focusing on promoting the characteristic travel routes and products of "Happy Changsha, Charming Star City." It provided a comprehensive and systematic showcase of Changsha's new cultural tourism formats, fresh travel experiences, and industrial development advantages as a "city of mountains, water, and isles."

At the promotion conference, Changsha also launched a tailored "three-day, two-night" in-depth tour for South Korean tourists, connecting multiple cultural tourism landmarks. Key recommendations include strolling through Chaozong Street to experience the new charm of the ancient city over aromatic coffee; visiting the Former Site of Kim Koo's Activities in Changsha to revisit the long-standing friendship between China and South Korea; tasting authentic Hunan cuisine at Super Wenheyou to immerse in vibrant street life; and, exploring the Changsha Museum to discover the treasures of Chinese history and culture, blending the charm of the ancient and modern Changsha.

At the event, the Changsha delegation set up a cultural tourism booth, presenting Changsha's intangible cultural heritage masterpieces such as Xiang embroidery, Tongguan Kiln ceramics, and dough figurines. They also distributed the latest Korean-language cultural tourism promotional materials and distinctive creative products, enabling South Korean people to experience the profound culture of Hunan up close.

Tourists learn about Changsha's creative cultural products. (Photo provided by the organizer)​

During their stay in South Korea, the Changsha delegation visited the China National Tourist Office, Seoul; the Korea Association of Travel Agents; and, several key South Korean tourism enterprises. They conducted exchanges and discussions on matters including mutual tourist exchanges, product development, and joint promotion.

Data shows that South Korea has become one of the most important sources of inbound tourists for Changsha. In 2025, Changsha received 425,900 inbound tourist visits, with inbound tourist spending reaching 335 million USD, representing year-on-year growth of 40.45% and 40.07% respectively. South Korea ranked among the top source countries. In the first five months of 2026, South Korean tourists visiting Changsha maintained a high growth trend, and attention from South Korean travel service providers toward Changsha, along with the number of travel products offered, has significantly increased.

责编：黄思婷

一审：黄思婷

二审：秦慧英

三审：张权

来源：湖南日报·新湖南客户端