From October 13 to 15, 35 internationals from nearly 20 countries around the world gathered in Xiamen to participate the Walking into Xiamen Experience For Foreigners Living in China, organized by Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. In a wholly immersive way, they explored the various classic travel products and routes, and savored the cultural and scenic beauty of Xiamen’s autumn.
Walking through the picturesque Wuyuan Bay area, known as New Livingroom of Xiamen; trying their luck participating in Mooncake Bobing contest, a traditional folk entertainment game and one of the most popular activity in 2023 China Xiamen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival of Tourism; strolling through Kulangsu, the Museum of World Architecture; marveling at the grandeur and artistical sophistication of the Intangible Cultural Heritage sites Huihe Stone Cultural Park and Jimei Tower; lingering late on both banks of Lujiang river for its rich colorful night views. Impressed and delighted by what they saw and experienced, young international volunteers were not only busy capturing with their eyes all the beauty and charm of Xiamen, but also recording all the bits and pieces of their trip with cameras and social media. They are eager to share with people their wonderful experience and promote the popularity of unique charm of sea-kissed garden and the poetic Xiamen to the world. With their enthusiasm and efforts, more and more people would be attracted to learn, to travel, and to love the city of Xiamen!
Foreigners in China Sharing Their Xiamen Stories
Foreigners Telling Xiamen Stories is a key feature of Xiamen’s efforts to promote its culture and tourism to the world. The 35 foreign friends who participated in the Walking into Xiamen Experience For Foreigners Living in China, mainly young tourists, come from different backgrounds, such as the arts, education, and finance. One thing in common for them is that they all love to travel and share their experiences through social media and other channels. They are also passionate about Chinese culture and look forward to in-depth experience.
“Xiamen is a charming city. For those who have ever been here or not, it is always a place full of dreams.” Jimena, an international friend who participated in the event expressed, saying that 2023 China Xiamen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival of Tourism had allowed foreigners living in China to experience Xiamen in depth and that she would recommend Xiamen to her family and friends in Argentina in her own way.
Bringing Xiamen’s Culture and Arts to the World
In addition to visiting well-known tourist attractions in Xiamen, the organizer also arranged special tours and experience of intangible cultural heritage and folk customs for foreigners in China to enjoy the Event. Whether it was the exhibition of intangible cultural heritage art at Jimei Tower or the Stone Embroidery intangible cultural heritage carving at Huihe Stone Cultural Park, everyone felt too fascinated to leave. On the evening of the 14th, 2023, at the closing ceremony of 2023 China Xiamen Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival of Tourism in Xiamen, China, along with representatives of citizens and tourists, they participated in the competition for the King of Kings in the Global Mooncake Bobing Contest, gaining a further intuitive understanding of the folk culture of Minnan Bobing and the city of Xiamen.
Peng Jun, Director of Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Department of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, introduced that the event combined online publicity and offline promotion to enhance Xiamen’s influence among foreigners living in China, attract more international friends to visit Xiamen, and at the same time, through the bridge role of foreign people in China, bring the Xiamen culture to the world, showcasing a city image of a “cultural center, art city, music island” in cultural tourism, and further radiate into overseas markets to promote Xiamen’s popularity and reputation overseas.
Be happy to be international volunteers for promoting tourism in Xiamen
“Xiamen is a city full of love. I am willing to become a volunteer of the International Volunteer league of Xiamen Tourism Promotion to promote Xiamen in my own way,” said Jean, a Canadian friend who lives in Shenzhen. On the evening of October 14, The International Volunteer league of Xiamen Tourism Promotion was officially established. Jean and 34 other international friends became the first batch of volunteers and were awarded certificates of appreciation. When these international friends from different countries became the first batch of International Volunteer league of Xiamen Tourism Promotion , the charm of Xiamen had been deeply engraved in their minds and became an eternal memory.
International Volunteer league of Xiamen Tourism Promotion is a self-organized group of foreigners who are passionate about public welfare and volunteer to promote Xiamen tourism to the world. This is another innovative attempt to promote the global communication of Xiamen city and the external publicity of tourism. According to reports, Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism will continue to support the alliance in discovering and attracting foreign nationals from all walks of life who care about Xiamen to actively participate in the international promotion of Xiamen tourism, and further enhance the reputation and influence of the “Sea-kissed Garden and Poetic Xiamen” brand overseas.