Guided by the English proficiency needs of the cultural tourism industry in Langzhong City, and taking Nanchong Vocational College of Culture and Tourism as a case study, this research explores the systematic integration of project-based learning (PBL) into the college English course at the higher vocational level. Through an industry needs analysis, the study identifies the English competency requirements for frontline cultural tourism professionals in terms of basic services, cultural interpretation, and adaptive marketing. A project-based college English teaching model is developed, grounded in the principles of "authenticity, locality, integration, and scaffolding." A tiered set of teaching projects is designed around core cultural intellectual properties such as Langzhong Ancient City, the Three Kingdoms culture, and the imperial examination heritage. Taking the "English Interpretation of Cultural Heritage" project as an example, the study elaborates in detail on the entire implementation process, from project initiation, resource support, and collaborative inquiry to outcome presentation and multifaceted evaluation. The findings indicate that this model effectively fosters deep integration of language skills with professional competencies, enhances student motivation, and strengthens local cultural identity and dissemination capabilities. It provides an actionable pathway for aligning higher vocational English teaching with local industry needs and serves as a reference for public English teaching reform in similar institutions.

Benchuan Xu. A Project-Based Teaching Practice of College English Driven by Local Cultural Tourism Industry Needs: A Case Study of Langzhong. International Journal of New Developments in Education (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 2: 25-33. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJNDE.2026.080204.

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