During the past May Day holiday, Huangshan's various scenic spots and resorts welcomed 2.37 million visitors, marking a significant 28.58-percent increase compared to the previous year.
Among the key attractions, Mount Huangshan Scenic Area received 147,000 visitors, showing a growth of 13.65 percent; Hongcun village welcomed 122,800 visitors, registering a 6.83 percent increase; Xidi village saw 49,500 visitors, a growth of 4.52 percent; the Ancient Huizhou Cultural Tourism Area welcomed 261,600 visitors, marking a growth of 30.95 percent; Yixian county's International Rural Tourism Resort received 247,800 visitors; and Qiyun Mountain Ecological Cultural Tourism Resort saw 145,800 visitors, with a growth rate of 30.92 percent.
The boom was fueled by innovative "Guofeng" (Chinese style) offerings blending heritage with interactivity. At Qiyun Mountain Eco-Cultural Resort, tourists practiced tai chi with "Zhang Sanfeng" impersonators and received blessings from costumed performers. Tunxi Old Street transformed into a "time-travel theater" with flash mobs and Hanfu NPCs, while Huizhou Ancient City's upgraded immersive plays drew crowds to its six live-action stages.
A fish lantern show is held at Tunxi Old Street. [Photo/Huangshan Daily]
Intangible cultural heritage took center stage during the event: Huangshan Scenic Area hosted fish lantern workshops and woodblock printing, while Xidi and Xixinan villages dazzled visitors with nighttime lantern parades. Over 30 interactive programs, from low-altitude helicopter rides over tea fields to the Huizhou Show performances, created multisensory experiences.
Youth-targeted tourism products proved popular. Anhui Huizhou Culture Museum's exhibition on artist Huang Binhong and Shexian county's history museum highlighted educational tourism. Meanwhile, Shicun village's "secret train" through ancient landscapes and Qimen county's tea-culture scavenger hunts exemplified Huangshan's push to diversify attractions.
"By merging tradition with trendy engagement, we've turned cultural assets into shareable moments," said a tourism official. The city's 100+ new activities, including hot air balloon rides along Xin'an River and specialty coffee festivals, underscore its shift toward experiential tourism.
The green scenery in Xixinan village. [Photo/Huangshan Daily]