Women in qipaos display the distinctive charms of the body-hugging dress. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]

Eleven cultural and tourism brands or events of Hangzhou were recently listed by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism as key cultivation projects, local media outlets reported on Jan 13.

The list included renowned names like Hangzhou Global Qipao Day, Impression West Lake performances, Wensli Silk, Wangxingji Fan, Liangzhu Culture, Xianghu Lake, and Fuchun Resort.

A total of 67 cultural and tourism brands from other cities in Zhejiang province were also on the list. They stood out for being unique, practical, easy to promote, and having high market values.

Among the Hangzhou brands making the list, Global Qipao Day was the only one included in the event category.

People from around the world pose for a group photo wearing qipaos. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]

The annual event was put forward by the Hangzhou Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, as well as the Shangcheng district government in 2017, with the aims of promoting the distinctive aesthetics of qipao. On that day, women in Hangzhou are encouraged to put on qipao dresses and fully show off their charm.

After four years of experience, the festival has grown into a variety of online and offline activities, such as qipao exhibitions, themed tours, cultural performances, and street events.

The event has engaged about 386,500 participants and generated 38.5 million yuan ($6 million) in revenue. A total of 92 State-run, provincial, and local media like Xinhua News Agency, China News Service, China Central Television, and Zhejiang Satellite TV channel have reported on the event.

Children show off their qipao designs at Qinghefang Street in Hangzhou on Oct 22, 2020. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]