Fenghuang 'Love Encountering Festival' being criticized as publicity stunt

Due to the "Love Encountering Festival",travel by couples to Fenghuang is up.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

With the slogan "Meet a person, love a city", the "7.20 Love Encountering Festival" in the famous tourist city Fenghuang incited controversy even before it was held.

Though the sponsors claimed that the activity was organized to meet the needs of the matchmaking phenomenon in today's China and to let participants slow their fast-paced lives and possibly find their true love, critics insisted that the event was nothing but a marketing stunt.

A flood on July 15 means the festival was rescheduled to Aug 22-24.

Journalists found that most shops damaged by the flood had been restored to their original state. The overall landscape and core tourist attractions in the scenic area are still well preserved, though several stilted buildings along the banks are still being renovated.

Due to the "Love Encountering Festival", travel by couples to Fenghuang is up.