Haikou kicks off intl gourmet food season

Haikou, capital city of South China's Hainan province, launched its international gourmet food consumption season on July 19. The launch ceremony also included the granting of an "International Gourmet Food Capital" certificate and plaque to the Hainan capital by the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry.

Over 200 people, including officials from the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, the Haikou government, the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province, and representatives from famous restaurants, attended the event.

From July to September, six sub-events will be hosted in restaurants and commercial squares across Haikou, including a Hainan cuisine food festival, a Western food festival, and a hot pot festival. The food festival under the theme of Hainan cuisines is slated to kick off on July 28. 

At the launch ceremony, the organizers invited hundreds of branded hotels and companies in the catering industry to display their signature dishes and offer free tastings.

According to insiders, many restaurants will strive to attract customers by offering discounts, consumer coupons, reimbursement for credit card users, and new cuisine promotions. The food festivals will also feature a range of competitions, such as eating Wenchang chicken, tasting crawfish, and drinking beers, as well as sharing sessions on topics such as food making by Michelin starred restaurant chefs.