China's famed Tianmen Mountain shatters tourist number record

CHANGSHA -- Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, nestled in the city of Zhangjiajie, Central China's Hunan province, has shattered its previous tourist number record set in 2019 following a tourism boom this year.

The renowned national forest park and 5A tourist destination has welcomed over 5 million visitors so far in 2023, surpassing the 4.74 million visitors it attracted in 2019, according to the management authorities of the scenic area.

Tianmen Mountain scenic area, one of the iconic destinations in the renowned tourist city of Zhangjiajie, has received over 37 million visitors since it opened to tourists in September 2005. The Wulingyuan scenic area in the city is on the world heritage list of UNESCO.

"With sustained tourism boom this year, the scenic area has maintained high traffic even in traditionally slack seasons and witnessed even greater surges during peak seasons," said Tian Huilin, general manager of Tianmen Mountain Tourism Co Ltd.

Apart from a steady rise in the number of domestic tourists, the scenic area has also seen sustained recovery in inbound tourism, Tian said.

To handle the growing influx of visitors, the scenic area has rolled out several innovative approaches, including staggered booking periods and an intelligent entry system.

Additionally, it has hosted exciting events like the Wingsuit World Championship and parkour competitions, to offer diversified tourism products and improved travel experiences.