China (Hunan) International Tourism Festival 2012 was launched in Zixing, Chenzhou City on September 12. The goal of this year's festival is to mutually promote the development of travel at Zixing's Dongjiang Lake, known as the Lake Geneva of the east and the original Lake Geneva of Switzerland. Also allied around the goal of travel development are several world-renowned hot spring cities in China (Longsheng and Tengchong), Taiwan, Myanmar and Egypt. All of the participating cities are located in geographical zones around the 25th parallel north.
With the theme of water, the festival strives to help develop water-based travel resources in Hunan via international cooperation and "Seek Beauty in Dongjiang Lake"-themed activities.
During the "Memorandum of Cooperation for Developing Tourism Resources Between Geneva and Dongjiang Lake" signing ceremony, Director-general He Shushan spoke highly of the water protection advocated by representatives of these two lakes. She expressed her hope that both sides will view this cooperation as an opportunity to establish a stable long-term friendship and to hand in hand propel ecological environmental protection to the mutual benefit of the Geneva and Dongjiang Lake areas.
The opening ceremony begins
Yuanshui Haozi (a labor song) performance
Translator: Wu Lirong
Source: Hunan Official Web Portal