Over the past ten years, the 10th Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival, a tourism brand full of vitality in Hubei and Chongqing, has grown from one festival of appreciating mountains and rivers into a national grand cultural tourism event in which culture and tourism promote and enhance each other.

　　At the press conference of the10th Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival, relevant staff from relevant culture and tourism departments, counties and cities and sponsors of the event answered questions from reporters. A high quality cultural tourism event with closer integration between culture and tourism, more prominent specialties and stronger artistic atmosphere is approaching.

　　Key word: deeper integration

　　At the 10th Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival, culture and tourism will go hand in hand in greater depth, providing more chances for people to enjoy beautiful scenery and pursue dreams of a bright future.

　　"For Yichang, a national excellent tourist city, the practice of cultural tourism has already been on the way." Luo Chunlang, director of Yichang Bureau of Culture and Tourism, introduced that Yichang is working hard to seek innovation in promoting the integration between culture and tourism on the basis of its reputation as "Quyuan and Zhaojun's hometown and world famous hydropower city".

　　In recent years, the Three Gorges International Tourism Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival of Quyuan's Hometown, the Yangtze River Piano Music Festival and the Yichang International Marathon have emerged one after another, and a number of excellent cultural performances such asChu Shui Ba Shanand Three Gorges·My Home Townare quite popular with the audience, greatly improving the connotation and quality of tourism.

　　With great efforts from cultural and tourism departments, a number of scenic spots featuring culture in the three gorges areas have injected new vitality into high-quality tourism. Quyuan's Hometown Scenic Spot highlights intangible culture heritage and lake scenery. The Three Gorges Tribe Scenic Spot features original culture in the three gorgeous areas. The Zhaojun Han Culture Scenic Area showcases the ancient Han culture. Wufeng Tea Culture Tour displays tea culture ...

　　Luo Chunlang said that Yichang will take this grand event as an opportunity to further strengthen the ties between Hubei and Chongqing, actively introduce and construct a number of projects which integrates culture and tourism, so as to upgrade the cultural tourism industry and cultivate new brands. The whole city will work hard to promote deeper integration between culture and tourism and boost the city’s cultural influence and tourism competitiveness in an all round way.

　　Key word: better brand

　　The 7th Hubei Yichang (Yiling) Citrus Festival infiltrated into the Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival the fragrance of citrus.

　　"Like tourism, citrusis one of Yichang's shining cards." Huang Guangxue, member of the standing committee of CPC Yiling Committee and director of the Publicity Department, introduced that by the end of 2018, 114 villages in 11 townships (streets and pilot areas) in Yiling district planted citrus of 232 million square meters. The output stood at 810,000 tons and the total output value amounted to 2.745 billion yuan. The area of planting and output ranked sixth and fifth respectively in China and both ranked first in Hubei province.

　　Yiling district, which has been awarded as "Hometown of Early Citrus in China", "Top 30 Counties (Districts) of the Citrus Industry in China" and "Fruit County in Hubei Province", has been devoting itself to give full play to the citrus culture. As a local festival activity approved by the provincial government, Yichang (Yiling) Citrus Festival has been held for six consecutive years so far, which has given strong impetus to the development of local rural tourism and the promotion of the citrus brands.

　　"This year’s citrusfestival will be held in Guanzhuang village, Yiling district in late September. It will be held jointly with the 2nd National Peasant Square Dance (Fitness Exercise) Competition and the 2019 Hubei Provincial Square Dance League. These three events will be held at the same time, which deserves appreciation and participation with great interest.

　　In order to attract citizens and tourists, Yichang has carefully planned three citrus-themed events. During the opening ceremony of the citrus festival, citizens and tourists can enjoy the literary and artistic performances with Yiling characteristics, watch the large-scale square dance Beautiful Chinaand pick and taste citrus fruits in Yiling Ecological Citrus Garden, and they can also go to Longquan for the treasure hunt activity. The Tik Tok video activity of “Sweetest Citrus and Sweetest You” will also be held.

　　Key word: stronger artistic atmosphere

　　As a standard component of cultural activities in Yichang, the Yangtze River Piano Music Festival has become a well-known artistic and cultural brand throughout the country and even in the world after years of careful planning and organization.

　　Over the past seven years, seven major music forums, eight top piano competitions, 44 piano concerts, 28 piano lectures, more than 80 community, campus and square activities have been held, benefiting millions of citizens.

　　Wu Yaling, president of Perth Music Group, told reporters that this year’s festival will include the "Yichang Piano Festival" in Binjiang Park and the "Piano Music Flash Mob" in Heping Park and Sanxia Airport. Famous piano educators Professor Li Mingqiang and Professor Dan Zhaoyi will also be invited to enter communities and schools to carry out art exchanges, through which the elegant piano music will walk down from the top of the pyramid into our daily life. In addition, this year's festival will continue to invite international and domestic artists and young pianists. In the meantime, the signing ceremony of "Yangtze River Pianists", "Yangtze River Teenage Pianists" and "Yangtze River Teenage Pianists Training Plan" will be launched.

　　While greeting the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Wu Yaling said that the festival will also invite Spain's piano master Lionel Morales Alonso to host concerts and master classes to let Yichang audiences feel the beauty of music.