Dai Bin led a team to investigate Hunan food tourism

In order to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on tourism work and the spirit of the National Tourism Development Conference, at the invitation of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute, led a team to Hunan Province to conduct a special research on food tourism from July 3 to 5.

Accompanied by Shang Bin, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Huang Yinghong, Deputy Director of the Promotion, Communication and Exchange Department, He Weimiao, a first-level researcher of the Promotion, Communication and Cooperation and Exchange Department, Chen Fujiao, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Provincial Tourism Association, and Xie Feng, a cadre of the Promotion, Communication and Cooperation and Exchange Department, they focused on investigating the development of Hengyang's food tourism.

President Dai Bin led the Food Tourism Research Group of the China Tourism Research Institute to conduct in-depth research on more than 10 catering and food processing companies, including Hengyang Moli Fisherman, Tang Buer New Hunan Cuisine, Ding Shifu BBQ, Peng Haijun Fish Powder, Hengyang Local Cuisine Base, Juweitang Food Co., Ltd., and Nanbei Special Food Co., Ltd., and visited night-time economic gathering areas such as Le Street.

During the investigation, a special symposium on the development of food tourism in Hengyang in 2024 was held. The symposium was chaired by Zou Yuanguo, secretary of the Party Committee and director of the Hengyang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Sports. Liu Yinting, chairman of Hengyang Shanggongchu, Li Honghua, founder of Lichu·Small Farmer, Wang Tao, executive president of Hengyang Catering Industry Association, Xu Dongsheng, president of Tourism Association, Xu Derong, president of Hengyang Branch of Hunan Daily, and other catering companies, associations and media representatives had extensive exchanges on hot issues in the development of food tourism, such as Hengyang food cooking techniques, food logistics, catering brand building, food promotion and publicity, talent training, inheritance of Hengdong local cuisine, and the integrated development of "food + tourism".

Peng Hongping, deputy head of Hengdong County People's Government, Wang Yian, deputy head of Nanyue District People's Government, Wu Jianbo, deputy secretary and deputy director of the Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Broadcasting and Sports, and Xu Yunsheng, deputy chairman of the Municipal CPPCC, and other county, city and district leaders also made speeches. Shang Bin, member of the Party Leadership Group and deputy director of the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, made a summary speech.

Dai Bin pointed out that Zhu Rong's "striking stones to make fire" in Nanyue Hengshan Mountain gave Hengyang a deeper cultural connotation. In the process of developing tourism, Hengyang combined ancient chronicles with catering culture, reflecting the human fireworks of food tourism, which is unique and far-reaching. Hengyang is rich in products and has a solid foundation on the supply side of food. With the blessing of a modern catering industry system, it has great potential for the development of food tourism. From the current point of view, Hunan cuisine has a strong social recognition in the country. Hengyang has already gone out of well-known Hunan cuisine chain brands such as Chef Fei, which are well received in the industry. However, we must also see that the development difficulties faced by Hengyang's once glorious traditional handmade pastry companies, how to improve the adaptability of products from a supply-oriented perspective, and how to find development opportunities in perseverance and innovation are a topic worth studying in food tourism. In view of the upcoming convening of the 3rd Hunan Tourism Development Conference, President Dai Bin pointed out that it is necessary to fully consider the demands and sense of gain of consumers and the market, and make continuous efforts in enhancing tourist experience, brand building, sustainable development, etc. to promote the high-quality development of Hunan food tourism.

Wu Fenglin, director of the Planning and Leisure Institute of our institute, and Li Hui, Ma Jing, Cheng Weijin, and Bai Yangyingxiang from the food tourism research team participated in the research, discussion and exchange activities. Later, the research team will go to Yueyang, Huaihua and other cities to continue the investigation of Hunan food tourism.

Contributor | Planning and Leisure Institute

Editor | Liu Xin Source | China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) Please indicate the source for reprinting