In recent years, Lu'an has advanced the integrated development of culture and tourism, actively expanded its international visitor market, and implemented a range of measures to promote the high-quality development of inbound tourism. These efforts have further enhanced the appeal of the city's tourism brand, "Lu'an: Where Green Mountains Meet Red Heritage."
In 2025, the number of inbound tourist arrivals in Lu'an increased by 40% year on year, reflecting the continued vitality and growing momentum of the city's inbound cultural and tourism market.
Targeted Efforts to Expand the Inbound Tourism Market. Lu'an has continued to consolidate nearby source markets such as South Korea while actively exploring medium- and long-haul markets including France and Russia. The city organized the Lu'an Cultural and Tourism Promotion Conference in Shanghai, featuring government-business dialogues, resource matchmaking sessions, and market cooperation meetings focused on inbound tourism and educational travel.
To attract more international visitors, Lu'an introduced 65 preferential policies for inbound tourists and a package of incentives for spring educational tours in 2026, including discounted or free admission to scenic attractions, as well as special offers at hotels and guesthouses. Foreign residents were recruited as cultural and tourism ambassadors, and multilingual promotional videos were produced to showcase Lu'an's unique tourism appeal, where red heritage and green landscapes complement each other.
At the same time, the city has improved foreign-language signage and visitor guidance facilities at tourist attractions and hotels, while expanding the availability of international bank card POS terminals and foreign currency exchange services, making travel in Lu'an more convenient and enjoyable for international visitors.
Deepening Cultural and Tourism Cooperation Through Stronger Partnerships. Lu'an has invited organizations such as the Hong Kong China Tourism Association, leading South Korean travel operators, and the West of England Tourism Partnership from the United Kingdom to visit the city and strengthen industry exchanges. The city also held a dedicated tourism promotion event in Hong Kong and participated in the Macao International Travel Expo. During these activities, the Lu'an Tourism Association signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong China Tourism Association, further enhancing tourism industry collaboration between the two regions.
In addition, Lu'an hosted the signing ceremony for the "Connecting Mountains and Seas, Exploring New Horizons Together" Inbound Tourism and Educational Travel Partnership Initiative. Seven organizations, including Wanfo Lake Scenic Area and Griffin Education Group, signed strategic cooperation agreements to jointly develop the inbound cultural and tourism market and expand opportunities for international tourism and educational travel.
Major Events Driving Tourism Growth. Lu'an has built a platform for high-level international sporting events, successfully hosting international competitions such as the International Tennis Open. These events have attracted a total of 3,589 athletes from 82 countries and regions, further enhancing the influence of the city's "Travel Lu'an Through Sports Events" tourism brand.
The city also organized the 18th Lu'an Peach Blossom Cultural and Tourism Festival, inviting inbound visitor representatives from Tajikistan and Morocco to participate in the cultural exploration program themed "Spring in the Dabie Mountains, Discover Lu'an."
In addition, Lu'an hosted a series of exchange and promotional activities, including the ITU's "Thousands of Travel Operators Visit the Dabie Mountains" Program, the Anhui–Taiwan Youth Entrepreneurship Exchange Camp in Lu'an, and the "Hong Kong and Macao Youth Discover China" Exchange Program. Through these initiatives, the city has continued to expand its international visitor networks and further enhance the global appeal of Lu'an's cultural and tourism offerings.