SHANGRAO, China, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 22, 2024, the Third International Summit for Mayors of Rural Tourism Villages and the "Best Tourism Village" Forum took place in Huangling Village, Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province. This event was organized by the China Tourism Scenic Area Association and co-hosted by the Jiangxi Province Tourism Association, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics Tourism Development Research Institute, and Jiangxi International Communication Center. With the theme "Exploring Famous Tourism Villages: Hand in Hand for Mutual Progress," the summit drew representatives from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, 16 "Best Tourism Villages" from eight countries across three continents, as well as travel agencies and media from both domestic and international spheres. As the host for the third time, Huangling Village not only gave a warm welcome but also facilitated a series of enriching activities to foster exchange and collaboration among attendees.
At the summit, key figures such as Yao Jun, Chairman of the China Tourism Scenic Area Association; Patal Hujamaiti, Vice Mayor of Shangrao City; Xu Shubin, Secretary of the Wuyuan County Party Committee; Shao Erlang, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; and Zhu Shanzhong, a tourism ambassador from the UN World Tourism Organization, delivered remarks. Following this, Professor Zheng Ganghuan, President of the International Festivals Association (Asia), presented Huangling with an Excellent Member Certificate. Wu Xiangyang, Chairman of the Wuyuan Huangling Scenic Area, represented the participating villages in reading the "Huangling Initiative for International Tourism Villages."
Participants had the opportunity to experience Huangling Village's unique charm as a "Best Tourism Village." The village's distinctive sun-drying culture and ancient heritage captivated both domestic and international guests. Alongside performances of traditional sun-drying songs and dances, various intangible cultural heritage skills were showcased, breathing new life into local customs and enriching the cultural experiences of attendees.
As the host of the International Tourism Villages Mayors' Summit for the third time, Huangling Village presents a compelling case for in-depth study in international village exchanges. During a focused interview segment, Wu Xiangyang and Wang Wanbin, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wuyuan Huangling Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd., reflected on the village's transformative journey from a semi-abandoned, impoverished community to one of the world's best tourist destinations, highlighting the unique rural charm of Wuyuan, Jiangxi.
The successful hosting of this summit has yielded invaluable insights, strategies, and models developed by renowned tourism villages that can serve as references for rural development worldwide. By facilitating a dynamic platform for dialogue, the summit aims to strengthen communication and cooperation across the nation. The insights shared by the "mayors" will inject new momentum and vitality into the overarching goal of promoting rural economic prosperity and enhancing the quality of global rural tourism. Looking ahead, we anticipate an increasing number of villages joining this collaborative effort to drive the thriving development of rural tourism on a global scale.