Nan'ao wins intl. award for culinary tourism project

Nan’ao on the Dapeng Peninsula has received international recognition at the 13th International Cittaslow Assembly held in Italy, winning the Agricultural, Touristic and Artisan Award.

The award was given for Nan’ao’s signature Sea Urchin Food Festival, a cultural tourism initiative that blends local gastronomy, marine heritage and slow-living experiences. Only two Cittaslow communities in China received honors this year.

Various sea urchin dishes at this year’s Sea Urchin Food Festival. Photos from Shenzhen Evening News

As China’s first Cittaslow in a first-tier city and the first in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Nan’ao is known for its coastal landscapes and sea urchin delicacies. In recent years, it has moved beyond traditional food festivals by developing an integrated cultural tourism brand that combines local culinary traditions with dragon boat heritage activities and immersive coastal experiences.

The annual Sea Urchin Food Festival attracts visitors from across the GBA and nearby cities, boosting local tourism and related industries including seafood dining, homestays, and coastal retail. Organizers say the event has helped transform seasonal visitor flows into sustained economic activity for the community.

The international recognition marks a milestone in raising Nan’ao’s global profile as a coastal slow tourism destination and further elevates the visibility of Dapeng Peninsula’s broader tourism brand.