Meizhou Island expands tourism through Mazu culture

Meizhou Island, located in Putian City within China’s Fujian Province, is experiencing a significant rise in tourism by leveraging its status as the birthplace of the sea goddess Mazu. The island reported approximately 3.23 million tourist visits in 2025, marking the first time it has surpassed the 3-million threshold.

Historically, visitors primarily traveled to the island for short religious visits to worship Mazu, a legendary protector of seafarers with over 300 million followers worldwide. However, the island has successfully transitioned into a vacation destination by developing Mazu culture-themed activities and promoting ‘slow tourism.’

Newer attractions include the Mazu Heritage Park, the Mazu cultural museum, and the Ping’an Pagoda. Visitors are increasingly staying for multiple days to participate in activities such as wearing traditional attire, watching Mazu-themed live performances, and viewing nighttime fireworks.