Furong town draws foreign tourists as social media exposure boosts visits

Foreign tourists are flocking to the town of Furong town, a centuries-old settlement built around a waterfall in Hunan, as the country's expanded visa policies and booming social media exposure help draw more overseas visitors beyond traditional gateway cities.

　　Known as the “ancient town hanging over a waterfall,” Furong received 6.5 million visitors in 2025, including 338,000 overseas tourists from more than 60 countries, according to local authorities. Overseas arrivals rose 57.1 percent year-on-year.

　　The surge reflects a broader recovery in China's inbound tourism sector, aided by visa-free entry arrangements for a growing number of countries.

　　“Since the visa-free policies were introduced, the number of international visitors has grown rapidly,” said Zhong Fei, chairman of Hunan Huaxia Investment Group, a company involved in operating the tourist destination.

　　Many foreign tourists first encounter Furong online through images and videos of traditional wooden stilt houses perched above a 60-meter waterfall, she said.

　　“Visitors tell us they saw the town on international social media and were amazed that such a place really exists,” said Ms. Zhong.

　　According to Ms. Zhong, foreign travelers account for about 40 percent of independent visitors to the town and roughly half of spending among that segment, although domestic tour groups still make up the bulk of overall visitor numbers.

　　Unlike many tourist towns that relocate residents during redevelopment, Furong has retained its original population, with local families continuing to live and run businesses in the ancient town.

　　Ms. Zhong said overseas visitors were drawn by the scenery and by the town's Tujia ethnic culture, traditional music and everyday life.

　　“They may not understand the language in the songs, but they can feel the passion and optimism of the people,” she said.

　　To better serve international visitors, local businesses have adapted menus by combining Western foods such as pizza, burgers, and coffee with local ingredients -- including smoked pork, mushrooms and ginger sugar -- creating what operators describe as a fusion of familiar flavors and regional specialties.

　　The town has also invested heavily in night-time tourism. Official data shows that night-time revenue accounts for more than 60 percent of total tourism income, while overseas online exposure of its illuminated waterfall and cliffside architecture has exceeded a billion views on social media.

　　One Italian tourist visiting China for the first time told China Daily that Furong was among the highlights of a 19-day trip through the country. “It's a very strange and beautiful place, really amazing, because it's totally different from what we are used to seeing in Europe,” she said.

　　Source: China Daily