This year, the 4th China Yangtze Three Gorges International Tourism Festival, the 9th China International Folk Art Festival and the 3rd China Yichang Yangtze Piano Music Festival were all held in Yichang，which was not only the celebration of festivals but also the gala of the combination of tourism and culture in Yichang.

　　Combining Tourism with Culture

　　At the beginning of this year, Yichang Municipal Government decided to develop the cultural tourism with the output value of hundreds of billions RMB. It is of great importance to adequately develop the special cultural resources and enhance the profound meaning of tourism culture.

　　Culture is the essence of tourism while tourism is the carrier of culture. Combining tourism with culture gives full play to the advantages and serves as the key to construct Yichang’s cultural tourism industry with the output value of hundreds of billions RMB. The holding of the Three Festivals has greatly promoted the combination of tourism and culture in Yichang.

　　“Yichang, as the world-famous capital of hydropower as well as the birthplace of Bachu Culture, is capable of showing to the outside world its charm and publicizing its cultural tourism brand with the holding of the Three Festivals.” said Wang Yinghua, Deputy Mayor of Yichang.

　　What is the most striking characteristics of the Three Festivals in Yichang? According to Liu Bing, Director of Yichang Tourism Bureau, the answer lies in the word “combination”. By combination, Yichang obtains an opportunity to show its culture, tourism and achievements of development.

　　Tourism shall not be separated with other resources. Therefore, far from separating from the Tourism Festival, the Folk Art Festival and the Piano Music Festival supplemented and supported the Tourism Festival.

　　Another two important activities took place during the Three Festivals, i.e. the meetings on Development of the Three Gorges Dam and the Three Gorges Regional Tourism Cooperation between Hubei Province & Chongqing Municipality. “We will focus on how to fully bring out the attraction of the biggest dam in the world and how to develop tourism with local customs and cultural resources. It is of great importance to the cultural tourism in Yichang.” said Liu Bing.

　　Local Culture Merging with Exotic Style

　　The international folk art shows, the piano performances as well as Li Yundi\'s piano concert served as a great cultural feast in Yichang.

　　At the opening ceremony, near 1000 performers from 14 countries showed their unique skills. People could enjoy exotic culture without going abroad. Yichang, as the host city, also presented its characteristic features in its own way.

　　The International Folk Art Shows played in full swing in the Qingjiang Gallery, the Three Gorges Damming Memorial Park, the Three Gorges Folk Custom Tourist Site, Qu Yuan Square and Chexi Scenic Area. The tourist sites also launched a variety of activities to present their traditional culture and customs.

　　“The regional, historical and cultural things are easier to attract tourists’ attention.” said Liu Bing. He also added that during the Three Festivals, the various activities were the best spokesman of the tourism image of Yichang. Guests from both home and abroad could enjoy the beautiful sceneries and the unique charms of Yichang via these activities.

　　Upgrading Quality and Brand

　　The well-known piano products, the famous stone exhibitions and the unique Three Gorges cruises were the main tourism products during the Three Festivals in Yichang.

　　This summer the First Community Piano Festival organized by the Parsons Music Group was launched in Yichang. The two-month piano activity has attracted more than 1000 players. As one of the important activities of the Three Festivals, it provided a good opportunity for the citizens to enjoy the grand gala of piano performance. By cooperating with the Parsons Music Group, Yichang integrated its industry, culture and tourism together and strived to build itself into a Piano Music City.

　　The activities of the Piano Music Festival fully showed the cultural contents of Yichang; the stone exhibitions not only displayed the local culture but also publicized the specialty of Yichang; the initial voyage of the Yangtze Three Gorges No. 8 and the Yangtze Three Gorges No. 9 cruises served as a mini tourism exposition presenting the best image of Yichang to the visitors both at home and abroad. The Three Festivals was a grand gathering of culture and tourism which demonstrated that Yichang would develop the cultural tourism to its full play.

　　Facts have proven that the integration of culture and tourism resources has further promoted Yichang City’s grade. In 2012, Yichang was awarded as “the Most Popular Tourism Destination of the Year” in Hubei Province on the “China’s Tourism Overall List”.

　　These three activities echo with the plan of Yichang Municipal Party Committee and Yichang Municipal Government to develop Yichang’s cultural tourism industry with the output value of hundreds of billions RMB and it will drive Yichang forging ahead. The gross output of Yichang cultural tourism industry will reach 100 billion RMB by 2016. The scale, quality and benefit of Yichang cultural tourism will be prior in the central regions and the cities at the same level along the Yangtze River, and become a world-class tourism destination and cultural tourism city by 2020.