From the misty peaks of the Wudang Mountains to steaming roadside noodles, the central China province of Hubei is wooing Hong Kong travelers with new thematic and bespoke itineraries.

Officials from the Hubei's tourism and culture department held a promotion conference in the special administrative region on Monday to promote the province's tourism and cultural appeal to local residents and industry partners.

Attended by more than 100 government officials and industry representatives from Hubei and the SAR, the event introduced 70 Hubei tour routes with 10 themes designed for tourists from Hong Kong and Macao. They include an ecological tourism route linking the Shennongjia forestry district, the Wudang Mountains, the Three Gorges and the Enshi Grand Canyon, presenting a breathtaking natural corridor for tourists.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong tourist group enjoys five-day customized tour in Hubei

Ke Ke, director-general of Hubei’s Department of Culture and Tourism, said the province has a rich natural attraction -- represented by the Wudang Mountains and the Three Gorges – as well as premier cultural events like the Yangtze River Cultural and Artistic Season and the International Wudang Tai Chi Culture Festival. The province’s Wuchang bream, hot dry noodles and its Chibi green brick tea are also well known.

According to Ke, Hubei is boosting attractions for Hong Kong travelers with a three-pronged strategy. It's rolling out cultural and tourism products tailored to Hong Kong tourists’ preferences, including themed routes centered on the historic riverfronts of the provincial capital, Wuhan, and its famous cherry blossom season.

The province is also launching more chartered flights and high-speed train services with cost-effective options for visitors from the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. It's also collaborating with airport and railway authorities in streamlining Customs and transit services to ensure a seamless and convenient travel experience.

“With culture and tourism as the theme, we hope to start a new chapter for joint development of the travel industry among Hubei, Hong Kong and Macao,” Ke said.

Joanne Chu Shui-man, acting commissioner of tourism of the HKSAR, said the convenience of transportation has provided excellent conditions for communication between Hong Kong and Hubei.

Many Hong Kong residents yearn to see the Wudang Mountains as it was repeatedly depicted in the martial arts novels of Louis Cha Leung-yung. “We also encourage friends from Hubei to come to Hong Kong to enjoy the sea breeze and watch mega events at Kai Tak Sports Park.”

Chu urged Hong Kong and Hubei to co-develop more multi-stop and multi-destination tourism products, allowing foreign travelers, after visiting Hong Kong, to travel to Hubei by air or high-speed rail to continue their tours.

The promotion event saw the signing of various cooperation agreements among related departments and organizations from Hubei and the two SARs.

Contact the writer at williamxu@chinadailyhk.com