Guangdong Province announced at a press conference on June 2 a rich lineup of cultural, tourism and consumer events for the Dragon Boat Festival and summer holiday season, inviting visitors from across China and around the world to experience its unique traditions, coastal scenery and innovation-driven attractions.
Dragon boat racing takes center stage
With a long-standing Dragon Boat Festival heritage, Guangdong is positioning itself as a top national destination for dragon boat culture. In mid-June, Foshan as the main venue will host the provincial Dragon Boat Festival celebrations, with races taking place simultaneously across multiple cities. The synchronized events will create a province-wide showcase of dragon boat culture.
One highlight is the Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament on June 20, with more than 100 international teams expected to compete on the Pearl River.
From June to July, Guangdong will hold 208 dragon boat-themed activities and 547 races, involving nearly 100,000 participants. A special dragon boat event map will guide visitors to competitions in all 21 prefecture-level cities.
Beyond the races, visitors can enjoy cultural markets, intangible cultural heritage performances, folk custom displays and local food festivals.
Discover Guangdong's coastline
Blessed with China's longest mainland coastline and hundreds of islands, Guangdong is promoting seaside destinations including Shantou's Nan'ao Island, Huizhou's Shuangyue Bay, Zhuhai's Wanshan Archipelago and Yangjiang's Hailing Island.
New travel routes will link coastal attractions across eastern, central and western Guangdong, letting visitors experience beaches, island scenery, fishing villages and fresh seafood while exploring the province's maritime culture.
Learning through travel
Educational tourism is another key focus this summer. Guangdong has designed a series of study-tour routes covering 10 themes, ranging from history and culture to science and technology.
Students and families can explore sites related to the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Lingnan cultural heritage and traditional craftsmanship, as well as China's advanced manufacturing and technology hubs such as GAC Aion and XPENG production bases.
Officials noted that these programs aim to help young people broaden their horizons by integrating education with travel.
Discounts and travel incentives
To boost tourism consumption during the holiday season, Guangdong is rolling out a package of incentives supported by government agencies, enterprises and online travel platforms.
The province will issue culture and tourism consumption vouchers starting from the Dragon Boat Festival, covering eligible expenses for hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and travel packages. Major travel platforms, including Trip.com, Meituan and Tongcheng Travel, will launch special promotions featuring discounted accommodation, travel packages and exclusive coupons.
The province is also expanding its "ticket economy" program, allowing visitors to use attraction tickets, high-speed rail tickets and airline boarding passes to enjoy discounts on dining, accommodation, shopping and entertainment. Backed by a special fund of 30 million yuan (about US$4.2 million), the program aims to stimulate spending across the entire tourism industry chain.
As dragon boats set sail and summer holidays begin, Guangdong extends a warm invitation to travelers worldwide to experience its unique blend of tradition, innovation, mountains and sea.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Photo: Li Fangwang
