A photo exhibition highlighting the diverse wildlife of the Chinese mainland was unveiled at the headquarters of UN Tourism in Madrid, Spain, on Thursday. 🌍 The event aims to boost the burgeoning trend of natural tourism in China.
\"There are lots of natural parks and many beautiful places that are undiscovered, and I think this is one of the first steps to promote Chinese natural tourism, which is also becoming very trendy and important today,\" said Secretary-General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili.
The exhibition features 20 breathtaking photographs of wildlife, some of which have received accolades in international competitions. 📷 These stunning images were captured by both professional and amateur Chinese photographers, ranging in age from 12 to over 70, showcasing a wide spectrum of talent and passion.
Pololikashvili emphasized that tourists are eager to explore China \"to see not only buildings and architecture or the modern part of China but also the rural development,\" highlighting it as a key priority. 🌄
This exhibition marks one of the initial steps to \"promote together\" natural tourism, revealing that China's allure extends far beyond its bustling cosmopolitan cities. 🏞️ He noted, \"There are many things to see outside of the big cosmopolitan cities.\"
Chinese tourism, both inbound and outbound, has been on a recovery path following the COVID-19 pandemic. 📈 In the first half of this year, China welcomed 14.64 million international visitors, marking a 153 percent increase from the previous year. A significant portion—8.54 million—entered through visa-free policies, reflecting a 190 percent rise, according to data from the China National Immigration Administration.
