Wenzhou nominated as China-Europe cultural and creative tourism destination

Wenzhou, a millennium-old trade port, is experiencing a renaissance. Recently, the 2024 Mayors Exchange Conference on Maritime Silk Road City Influence concluded successfully in Wenzhou.

Foreign tourists immerse themselves in traditional culture in Wenzhou.Photogragph provided by wenzhou.gov

During the conference, Ma Yunhua, Director of the Europe-Asia Center’s China Office, nominated Wenzhou as the“2025 China-Europe Cultural and Creative Tourism Destination”. This nomination is a significant milestone for the city in its journey toward becoming a world-class tourist destination. With the ambition to be a“domestically top-tier, internationally renowned” leisure and vacation city, Wenzhou is poised to further boost its international appeal, leveraging its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage to enhance its role along the Maritime Silk Road.

Expanding the network of connections

The Maritime Silk Road is an ancient trade route connecting East and West, recognized as China’s oldest known maritime pathway. In 2022, the discovery of the Shuomen ancient port site confirmed Wenzhou’s historical significance as a commercial hub, leading to its formal inclusion in the City Alliance for the Protection and Joint Application of Maritime Silk Road World Heritage.

In 2023 and 2024, Wenzhou held the Mayors Exchange Conference on Maritime Silk Road City Influence for two consecutive years, integrating the IP of Maritime Silk Road into its urban development. Once a bustling maritime center, Wenzhou is now broadening its network of connections. Currently, 836,000 Wenzhounese live abroad, with 380,000 actively participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Additionally, Wenzhou has formed partnerships with 39 international sister cities, opening doors for collaboration and cultural exchange.

While maintaining steady growth in quality and quantity in foreign trade, Wenzhou, as a pivotal trade city on China’s southeastern coast, a regional center city, and a key node along the Maritime Silk Road, is leveraging its unique advantage of the“World Wenzhounese” network. In recent years, it has deepened cultural and tourism exchanges at home and abroad, particularly with European nations, thereby enhancing its international profile.

Cultural events such as the“Festival Croisements” (Wenzhou), alongside the publication of the book Discovering Wenzhou by the Sinologist Bonino Gabriella in Italy, showcase the rich cultural tapestry of Wenzhou. In recent years, Wenzhou’s cultural and tourism sector has successively hosted a series of art events such as“When London Meets Wenzhou”,“When Milan Meets Wenzhou”, and“When Paris Meets Wenzhou”, bringing together artists from China and abroad for sketching and exhibition activities. These events invite foreign artists into Wenzhou, while also showing sketch masterpieces of Wenzhou abroad, offering the world a glimpse into the city’s Eastern charm and aesthetic flavor. High-level cultural exchange events like the“Festival Croisements” (Wenzhou) and the“Confluence - Pillar of Classicism” Art Exhibition, as well as the“Art Treasures of the European Capitals of Culture” exhibition, have further unfolded, making art a bridge for city-to-city communication. Wenzhou has also actively participated in the 2024 Danish Travel Show and the 2024 Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair, and established Wenzhou Cultural and Tourism Exchange Centers in cities like Paris, Versailles, Rome, and Prato, presenting Wenzhou to overseas guests with a more dynamic and vibrant image.

Building a world-class“Maritime Silk Road City”

During the“Charm of the Maritime Silk Road - World City Cultural and Tourism IP Conference”, the Europe-Asia Center officially nominated Wenzhou as the“2025 China-Europe Cultural and Creative Tourism Destination”. This nomination highlights the fruitful cultural, economic, tourist and artistic exchanges between Wenzhou and Europe.

During the conference, Erik Solheim, former UN Under-Secretary-General, recipient of the 2023 Chinese Government Friendship Award, former Director of the UN Environment Programme, and current President of the Europe-Asia Center, praised Wenzhou as an extraordinary city that blends ancient architecture with modern characteristics, emphasizing its vital role in China’s green transformation. In his video message, he also congratulated Wenzhou on its nomination and expressed hope for increased tourist visits.

Violeta Bulc, Vice Chair of the Europe-Asia Center, former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia, and former European Commissioner for Transport, also underscored the importance of cultural and tourism exchanges in her video message. She noted that Wenzhou’s nomination coincides with the 50th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic relations, presenting an opportunity to foster innovative partnerships in the fields of culture and tourism. She anticipates Wenzhou’s continued leadership in international cooperation, particularly in enhancing digital services for inbound tourism and digital consumption in cultural tourism.

A world-class“Maritime Silk Road City” and an international tourism destination bridging Europe and Asia— this is both the goal and the new path for Wenzhou.

As a representative city that implements China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy, Wenzhou has participated in the co-construction of the CCTV’s“China Travel” new media initiative, promoting Wenzhou’s cultural tourism to a global audience. From September to November, the inaugural coastal cruise ship,“China Merchants Aden”, included Wenzhou as one of its docking ports, bringing over 5,000 inbound tourists to the city across a total of 8 voyages.

Data indicates that from January to October 2024, Wenzhou welcomed a total of 183,400 inbound tourists, representing a year-on-year increase of 198.03%. Looking ahead, Wenzhou will seize this nomination as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the Europe-Asia Center. It aims to deeply explore its cultural tourism resource advantages, continuously enhance the quality and level of its tourism services, and provide more diverse and high-quality tourism products and services for international visitors. Wenzhou is committed to becoming a vital bridge for cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Europe.（ZhongXin）