The opening ceremony of the 17th China Huangshan International Tourism Festival and Hui Culture Festival and the ninth China Huangshan International Mountain-Climbing Competition was held at the South Gate of Huangshan scenic spot, Huangshan city, Anhui province, on Nov 18.

About 300 travel agency representatives from 11 countries and regions, and more than 3,000 mountain-climbing enthusiasts from 56 countries and 12 domestic provinces and municipalities, attended the event.

Liu Xiaomei, vice-director of the National Tourism Administration Office; Hua Jianhui, vice-governor of Anhui province; Ren Zefeng, mayor of Huangshan city; and other officials attended the opening ceremony.

After the event, participants of the tourism festival were invited to climb Huangshan Mountain to appreciate its fabulous pine trees, magnificent rocks and scenic sea of clouds.

During the following two days, the traveling sales people and other guests visited other picturesque scenic spots in the city, including Jiuhua Mountain, Hongcun village, the Huashan Mountain Mysterious Grottos and Longchuan village.

By Le Qin

Edited by Michael Thai, Huang Pei