2015 marked the 30th anniversary of Bole City's establishment and the 5th anniversary of Wuhan City's assistance to Bole. To enhance the promotion of Bole's tourism resources, strengthen exchanges between Wuhan, the supporting city, and Bole, and promote the development of tourism and culture in both places, the "First Bole Eco-Tourism Festival — Wuhan-Bole City Hand-in-Hand" event was specially organized.
On the morning of August 17, the first Bole Eco-Tourism Festival, hosted by the Bole City Tourism Bureau, grandly opened at the Bortala Hotel in Bole City. Leaders from Bole City and a delegation of 24 people from the Wuhan Tourism Bureau in Hubei Province, major travel agencies, and media reporters attended the opening ceremony. At the ceremony, leaders from Bole City stated: "Both Wuhan and Bole cities boast rich tourism resources. Strengthening exchanges between the two cities can effectively connect their abundant tourism resources and channels, achieving resource sharing. This is also a key highlight of the 'City Hand-in-Hand' theme of this first eco-tourism festival." Afterwards, everyone watched an ethnic and folk cultural performance meticulously prepared by Bole City, marking the beginning of this first Bole Eco-Tourism Festival.
On the afternoon of August 18, the Wuhan Tourism Bureau delegation visited the ancient city ruins in Dalt Town, Bole, gaining new insights into the city’s history and culture. Later that afternoon, they attended the Dalt Town Food Exhibition, personally experiencing the unique features of local and Xinjiang specialty food culture.
On August 19, the Wuhan Tourism Bureau delegation toured the Sayram Lake scenic area in Bole City as well as the General's Office in Huocheng County of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and the Xibe Ethnic Culture Park in Qapqal County, both neighboring areas of the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. This helped connect tourism routes between Bole City and adjacent regions, promoting new developments in Bole's tourism industry.
On August 20, the Hubei Wuhan Tourism Bureau delegation visited the Guai Shi Yu (Strange Stone Valley) scenic area in Bole and participated in a fun "Treasure Hunt in Bole" activity, experiencing the beauty of Bole while having fun. They then headed to Alashankou City, known as the "Country Gate," on the same day at noon.
This event further deepened the friendship between the two cities, advanced tourism assistance to Bole, and achieved preliminary consensus on aspects such as financial support, promotional campaigns, and tourist source assistance to Xinjiang, with plans for gradual implementation after the festival.