Xinjiang Zhaosu Unveils 2026 Tianma Cultural Tourism Festival to Boost Integrated Cultural and Ecological Tourism
According to Xinhua News Agency reports, the 2026 Xinjiang Yili Tianma Cultural Tourism Festival officially opened on 20 June in Zhaosu County, widely known as China’s Hometown of Heavenly Horses. Held amid lush summer landscapes across the vast grasslands of Zhaosu, the grand opening ceremony features immersive cultural performances and iconic equestrian displays that showcase the region’s distinctive natural and cultural heritage.
The opening programme includes a poetic and dance theatrical performance titled Ballad of Princess Xijun, which interprets centuries-old local historical and cultural stories through refined stage art. Large-scale aerial-recorded mass equestrian displays deliver dynamic scenes of galloping herds sweeping across the grassland, presenting the most representative visual spectacle of Zhaosu’s traditional equestrian culture.
Zhaosu County has consistently advanced in-depth cultural and tourism integration in recent years. The local administration taps into high-quality alpine grassland ecological resources, profound Tianma cultural heritage and diverse ethnic folk customs, converting unique regional endowments into core competitive advantages for the local tourism industry. Continuous optimisation of tourism scenarios and cultural presentation modes enriches the connotation of local cultural tourism offerings.
As a signature regional cultural event, the Tianma Cultural Tourism Festival serves as a key platform for displaying Zhaosu’s ecological scenery, ethnic customs and time-honoured equestrian traditions. The ongoing festival will launch a series of seasonal activities spanning cultural performances, folk experience events and equestrian-themed displays throughout the summer season.
Local tourism development frameworks will continue to integrate ecological conservation, cultural inheritance and industrial upgrading. Iterative upgrades to festival branding and tourism supporting facilities will further expand the influence of Zhaosu’s Tianma cultural tourism brand, driving steady growth in regional cultural tourism vitality.
