Western Hubei ecological and cultural tourism circle includes eight cities and prefectures in western Hubei province. These include Xiangfan, Jingzhou, Yichang, Shiyan, Jingmen, Suizhou, Enshi and Shennongjia, which collectively form 50 percent of the total provincial population and 70 percent of the total provincial area.

Western Hubei has many ecological and cultural tourist attractions. It currently has two world cultural heritages, nine national natural reserves, 35 national intangible cultural heritages, four national scenic areas and three national geoparks. It owns more than 50 percent of the ecological and cultural tourism resources and scenic areas of the province.

Western Hubei ecological and cultural tourism circle has five attractive qualities: its ecology, historical culture, engineering wonders, local folk customs, and location. Its forest area is 54 percent of the provincial total. Shennongjia is the world’s only well-preserved primitive forest in the middle latitudes. The circle is home to many Hubei cultural systems, including Chu culture, Three Kingdoms culture, Bashi culture and religious culture. The area also has the internationally-recognized Three Gorges Dam and is the water source for the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. It also offers folk culture represented by the customs of Tujia and Miao minority people and folk tales from Wudang Mountain. Western Hubei ecological and cultural tourism circle links East China and West China, connects South China and North China, and is an important gateway to Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hunan and Chongqing. The circle also connects to roads to Xiangxi, Xi’an, Chuanxi and other popular scenic spots.