Arab artists experience the charm of traditional glove puppetry in Fujian in April. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
East China's Fujian province has unveiled a roadmap to leverage its world-class assets — including UNESCO heritage sites and deep-rooted tea culture — to transform itself into a world-renowned tourist destination, supported by a significant surge in inbound travel.
The plan, titled "The Goals, Vision, and Actions to Build Fujian into a World-Renowned Tourist Destination", was released during the Fujian Provincial Conference on Cultural and Tourism Economic Development, held from Friday to Sunday in Zhangzhou, Fujian.
It sets forth a vision that by 2035, Fujian will be recognized as a leading tourism hub in Asia and internationally, attracting high-value, longer-staying visitors across the province and strengthening Fujian's global reputation.
Supported by world-class infrastructure and iconic cultural heritage, the sector is expected to deliver strong economic innovation and jobs, while enhancing the quality of life for residents, according to the plan.
Jamie Mayaki, director of the Department of International Development and Cooperation of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, said, "Fujian possesses unique advantages for building a world-renowned tourist destination."
Arab artists conduct a field study and artistic creation session amid the historic Tulou clusters in Nanjing county, Zhangzhou, Fujian. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
He noted that the province is home to five World Heritage sites, including Mount Wuyi, the Fujian Tulou, and Gulangyu Island, as well as 10 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists — both ranking among the top in China and remaining rare achievements even on a global scale.
Mayaki made special mention of the region's tea culture, noting its profound influence on world cultural history. Fujian is one of China's most important tea-producing regions and the birthplace of oolong tea, black tea, white tea, and jasmine tea.
"This represents a valuable asset for the development of Fujian's cultural and tourism industries and deserves to be further explored and fully leveraged," he added.
He further said that the United Nations World Tourism Organization will support Fujian in this endeavor, including marketing strategies for priority source markets such as South Korea, Western Europe, and the overseas Fujian diaspora.
The organization will also support Fujian in hosting international conferences and applying for the UN Tourism "Best Tourism Villages" initiative, he said.
The policy push comes as the province sees robust growth. In 2025, Fujian welcomed 5.55 million inbound tourists, a 51.2 percent increase from the previous year, while inbound tourism spending jumped 63.2 percent to $6.56 billion.
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