beijing
On the evening of August 14, the 2025 Zhejiang Culture and Tourism Top-List awards ceremony, themed "Culture and Tourism: Growth and Healing," unveiled nine rankings. Tonglu won six honors, drawing attention as one of Zhejiang's "hidden gem towns."
In addition to being named one of the "Top 10 Hidden Gem Towns," Tonglu received five other honors across a range of categories. The "Water Kingdom – Ride the Waves in Tonglu" marketing campaign was selected as one of the 2025 Zhejiang Innovative Cases in City Culture and Tourism Brand Promotion. The brand was refreshed in 2026 as "Water Kingdom – Tonglu Goes Wild." Hangzhou OMG Heartbeat Park received two honors – the 2025 Zhejiang Trendy Leisure Attraction and the 2025 Zhejiang Pet-Friendly Destination of the Year – while its popular character Guixianren (Turtle Sage) went viral across Chinese social media. Tonglu Tiankong Miling Homestay was named one of the 2025 Top 10 Charming B&B Courtyards in Zhejiang. Chen Chen, head of the Marketing Department of Tonglu County Culture and Tourism Investment Group, was named the 2025 Zhejiang Culture and Tourism Professional of the Year.
As a National All-for-One Tourism Demonstration Zone, Tonglu has ranked among China's top 100 counties for comprehensive tourism strength for six consecutive years, rising to the eighth place nationwide in 2025. That year, Tonglu recorded 13.286 million tourist visits, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.5%. During the 2026 Spring Festival and May Day holidays, both visitor numbers and tourism revenue reached new highs, with Tonglu earning spots on national rankings of popular county-level destinations released by platforms such as Mafengwo and Tongcheng Travel.
Driven by the "Tourism+" approach, Tonglu has developed sports tourism projects such as Shengxianli Ski Resort and an equestrian park, while building up signature events including half marathon races and the Fuchun River Crossing Challenge. The county has also been recognized as a Zhejiang Provincial Sports and Leisure Base.
In the agritourism sector, Tonglu has developed diverse experiences including year-round farming activities, rural markets, and camping sites. Focusing on summer water-based tourism, the county has integrated more than 30 tourism offerings, including canyon rafting, boat trips, and countryside swimming spots, as part of its efforts to build the "Water Kingdom" tourism brand and develop a water-based tourism cluster.
Strong branding and promotional efforts have significantly raised the profile of "Tonglu Tourism." In 2025, culture and tourism stories about the county were featured on China Central Television (CCTV) 32 times, while online exposure exceeded three billion impressions, the second highest in Zhejiang. The combined follower count across its six major digital media channels surpassed 880,000.
Following the awards ceremony, Tonglu also launched the themed travel guide "Explore Tonglu with the Top-List." The "Water Kingdom" brings together more than 30 water-based offerings across the county, including eight canyon rafting attractions, boat trips, and countryside swimming spots. Visitors can try some of East China's top-tier rafting attractions, such as Yalu and Huxiao Gorge, explore the Xijie folk tradition in the ancient village of Huigang, or take a nighttime cruise on the Fuchun River. Together, these offerings provide an all-in-one summer experience combining sightseeing, trendy leisure attractions, and mountain retreats.
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