Why tourists are flocking to Chinese province Hubei

CGTN Europe

As spring blooms across Europe, many are pondering summer holidays, and where to escape to. China's Hubei province has been pitching for some of that business in Berlin. Our correspondent Peter Oliver reports from Germany.  #tourism #germany #china #europe

Transcript

00:00From the majestic Wudang mountain range to the man-made mastery of Wuhan,

00:06Hubei province is a destination which looks to blend the natural world with the modern.

00:12And it's capturing the attention of holidaymakers, with the number of visitors up 12% last year.

00:18Now, representatives from Hubei have been in Berlin to showcase the region's cultural offerings to the German tourism market.

00:27For tourists, you can not only experience the traditional Chinese culture,

00:32you know, like the, no matter the Wudang martial arts, or the real profound series of the culture of the true states,

00:40visit the museum, experience the real relics from 2,000, 3,000 years ago.

00:45In addition to that, you can also experience the modern city, like Wuhan.

00:52Hubei is also home to the Yangtze River Valley,

00:55and that provides the setting for some of the world's most spectacular river cruises,

00:59meandering through the mountains and leading to the Three Gorges Dam,

01:03the world's largest hydroelectric project.

01:06It not only keeps tens of millions of people safe from potential floods,

01:11but also generates a colossal 100 terawatt hours of electricity every year for the energy grid.

01:17That's about one third of the UK's, or close to half of Spain's total annual energy consumption.

01:23China's quest to attract more tourists was given a boost

01:26as the country got rid of the need for a visa last year for most Europeans.

01:31This now means that citizens of 38 nations, including Germany,

01:36can stay in China for up to 30 days without needing a visa.

01:40Visa-free policy is a great news for our tourism industry.

01:44There's a huge increase in the number of European tourists.

01:49In 2024, just under 8.2 million foreigners visited,

01:53with just over 4.8 million of them benefiting from the visa waiver.

01:58The German tour company represented at the event in Berlin

02:02say scrapping visas has made a big difference.

02:09I would say it's definitely more attractive if I don't have to think about the visa problem.

02:14I have been to China twice myself and had to apply for a visa,

02:17and it was a bit complicated and a bit off-putting.

02:21And now that that has been eliminated, the numbers are definitely going up.

02:25As for Berliners, it's always difficult to decide where to go.

02:28There are so many options. Berlin is very well connected to the whole world.

02:32But China is definitely a market that, in my opinion, has higher numbers every year.

02:38It is growing.

02:40So, whether you're looking for the serene splendor of the mountains or bustling modernity,

02:46Hubei province may well be the travel destination for your next holiday.

02:51Peter Oliver, CGTN, Berlin.

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