A volunteer activity was held at the International Service Center for Foreigners at Changsha Huanghua International Airport on April 22, 2025. At the event, the Changsha Lei Feng Tour Guide International Volunteer Service Station was officially established. Multiple foreign language guide volunteers are actively providing assistance to inbound tourists, fully utilizing their professional expertise.
(Photo/Deng Di, Changsha Evening News)
This year, the Changsha Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television has responded positively to the call of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and the Hunan Provincial People's Government, seizing great opportunities brought by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy which includes Changsha. A cultural tourism service window for foreign visitors was added at Changsha Huanghua International Airport, with gold-medal foreign language guides on hand. Since its trial operation began on January 13, 2025, the service window has adhered to the principles of serving as "a platform for inbound tourism promotion, a base for showcasing the city's international cultural image, and a site for tour guide international volunteer services," offering one-stop, multilingual cultural tourism services to foreign visitors arriving in Changsha, earning widespread praise and recognition from international travelers.
Under the guidance of the Changsha Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television, the Changsha Tour Guide Management Service Center launched the "Changsha Guide Service" one-click foreign-language tour guide reservation service (trial operation) on the same day. Foreign tourists can now book gold-medal tour guides proficient in languages such as English, Russian, and Japanese online, enjoying personalized itinerary planning, cultural explanations, and other "one-on-one" services. Ten certified gold-medal tour guides, including Hu Shishan, Luo Shuang, and Tian Li, became the first batch of tour guides available for booking.
In 2025, Changsha released an inbound tourism promotion plan, unveiling multiple incentives in three areas: attracting visitors to Changsha, encouraging the expansion of overseas markets, and optimizing the inbound tourism environment. The cultural tourism service window has promoted Changsha's cultural resources to international visitors through multilingual promotional materials, joint exhibitions of key scenic spots, and personalized travel route recommendations, while encouraging foreign language tour guides to enhance their local reception services.
According to statistics, during the 100-day trial operation period of the cultural tourism service window, the cumulative trips by passengers arriving in Changsha via inbound flights reached 70,000, with 3,200 inquiries made at the service window. Additionally, the service window collaborated with venues such as the Changsha Museum and the Tongguan Kiln Scenic Area to showcase unique cultural features, reinforcing Changsha's international image as a city blending history and modern vitality.
The cultural tourism service window also assigned national and provincial gold-medal foreign language tour guides, including Hu Shishan, Xu Kuo, and Dai Zhen, to provide on-site services, helping foreign visitors solve practical issues related to transportation, communication, and payment, earning widespread commendation. To date, the service window has received six thank-you letters and more than 20 comments from foreign visitors.
Source: Changsha Official Website
