Bristol hosts important China-UK cultural tourism initiative

The Bristol-based SS Great Britain, once the most advanced passenger ship in the world, provided the perfect venue for a highly professional travel industry reception on Monday 25th November, delivered by representatives of China’s Hunan Province who were in England to promote this stunning region’s spectacular landscapes and its world class historic and cultural associations.

The Right Honorable Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Jos Clark, began the event by welcoming Yu Xinrong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Hunan Culture and Tourism Department, who then powerfully described Hunan’s unique culture, its stunning scenery and its distinctive regional cuisine.

Shelley Nania, Head of International Affairs for Bristol City Council and John Hirst, CEO of Destination Bristol, then outlined Bristol’s partnership with Hunan Province and how it was focusing on the integration of culture and tourism and the development of both inbound and outbound markets to the mutual advantage of both destinations.

John Hirst then introduced a surprise VIP guest speaker, Andrew Stokes, Director England at Visit Britain who is currently leading on the delivery of the £40 million ‘Discover England Fund’ and the promotion of English regional tourist destinations, such as Bristol.

This highly informative and entertaining event ended with traditional Chinese entertainments, canapés and drinks and was organized by the Bristol based UK-China tourism and trade marketing consultancy, ‘Make It China’ and it follows a similarly successful event held at the Landmark Hotel in London last March.

Tuesday 26th November will saw the grand launch of the Splendid Hunan photo exhibition at Colston Hall, featuring large-format prints of the stunning landscapes and fascinating folk customs of the province and it last for 5 days. Specially-invited traditional artists displayed a range of unique Hunanese crafts, including embroidery, wood-block printing and Flower Brick tea. The 2-day schedule concluded at Bristol Marriott Royal in a cultural exchange featuring delicious food from both China and the UK, with a traditional Hunanese dish prepared live.

The visit signifies the bond between two of the UK and China’s fastest-growing tourism destinations, and underlines the commitment between both Destination Bristol and the Hunan Culture and Tourism Department to support one another in their international promotional endeavors. With China set to become the world’s most visited country by 2030, travel agents and tour operators from across the UK were able to learn more about Hunan’s incredible offerings, ensuring they can keep their products up to date with the growing demand for this incredible province.