Tourists flock to newly recognized Dongjiang Lake

Photographers snap shots of a fisherman and a woman on the boat on Aug 19. [Photo by Deng Jianfei / For China Daily]

In recent years, Zixing has invested billions of yuan to upgrade the scenic area's facilities.

Another highlight of the area is the abundance of wild fish. Dongjiang Lake is rich in bream, whitebait, grass carp and carp.

From Aug 20 to 22, Zixing hosts a fish festival that presents a variety of local fish delicacies and snacks cooked in traditional methods.

In addition to the culinary feast, the city holds a traditional folk art activity in which lifelike dragons conduct a series of dance performances.

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays approach came, which usually means hikes in ticket prices for tourist attractions across the country, the tourism bureau of Zixing have vowed that entrance fees for Dongjiang Lake scenic area will not rise. They honored their promise

There currently are four tourist routes around the scenic area, with entrance fees ranging from 80 yuan to 318 yuan per person.

Hunan province has 264 A-level tourist destinations, 555 star-rated tourist hotels and 848 travel agencies, said Gao Yang, deputy director of the Hunan Tourism Bureau. In 2014, the number of domestic and overseas tourists visiting Hunan exceeded 400 million, with total tourism revenue surpassing 300 billion yuan.