(CFP Photo)
During the Qingming Festival from April 4 to 6, Jiangsu’s more than 600 A-rated tourist attractions and nearly 200 rural tourism destinations recognized at the provincial level or above recorded over 16.23 million tourist trips and total revenue of 7.267 billion yuan, with the daily average figures up 111.5% and 98.9%, respectively, according to the province’s Department of Culture and Tourism.
Data from the e-commerce platform Meituan showed that Jiangsu ranked second nationwide in both domestic tourist trips and tourism revenue during the holiday. Similarly, the Mobility Data unit of online search giant Baidu ranked Jiangsu second nationally in domestic tourist trips.
The traditional Chinese festival, a time to pay tribute to the deceased and honor ancestors, doubles as an opportunity for leisure travel and nature reconnection. The proximity of cemeteries to mountains and waterways has spurred consumption in catering, lodging and travel sectors.
On social platforms, trending topics included traditional Chinese attire, China-chic costumes, and hanfu, a type of traditional garment of the Han ethnic group. The Fliggy Trip platform highlighted a nearly threefold increase in the topic of “people dressing in traditional style to enjoy flowers.” This trend also led to long queues at makeup shops in tourist areas.
Parks and scenic spots near mountains and rivers were particularly popular. In Jiangsu, iconic destinations like the Confucian Temple and Qinhuai River scenic area in Nanjing, the Jinji Lake in Suzhou and the Slender West Lake in Yangzhou, saw the surging of daily average tourist trips.
In the blooming season, scenic spots offered various programs to draw visitors. For example, the Holland Flower Park in Dafeng District of Yancheng City, known for more than 30 million tulips, creatively displayed cultural relics in the tulip fields, offering visitors an exciting opportunity to explore the city’s history, according to Li Ping, deputy head of the district’s Department of Culture and Tourism.
Along with the pear blossoms season, Suzhou’s Lili Ancient Town launched more than 10 activities. The number of visitors to the Maoshan Tourism Resort in Jintan District of Changzhou City also set a record as it offered activities like bamboo shoot digging, said Yu Lu, deputy director of the site’s development department.
The special offers also included an approximately 4-km "Cherry Blossom Trail" in Tangshan Hot Spring Resort in Nanjing and a double-decker bus service exclusively for cherry blossom viewing in Wuxi City.
In addition to conventional supplies like tents, tables, chairs and BBQ, camping sites also provided diverse services, from music performances to coffee festivals and outdoor film screenings.
Spring is also a perfect time to enjoy seasonal delicacies. The sales of Suzhou-style qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, surged significantly, and the daily store sales record exceeded 10,000 qingtuan. Chu Minhui, president of Suzhou’s Time-Honored Brands Association, said the consumers included local residents and tourists of all ages.
The Qingming holiday also facilitated outdoor activities among the youth, from picking wild vegetables, such as Capsella bursa-pastoris (Jicai in Chinese), to hiking and family outings.
From 6:00 pm on April 4 to 6:00 am on April 6, 45 nightlife destinations recognized at the provincial level or above reported 2.8 million visitors and tourism revenue of 964 million yuan, with the average daily amount up 139% and 173.9% year-on-year, respectively.
Furthermore, from March 30 to April 6, Jiangsu’s outbound travel bookings increased by 1.8 times through Meituan compared to last year, and doubled through the Fliggy Trip platform. More outbound tourists are favoring countries with 12-hour flight distance to Jiangsu.
According to Chinese card payment giant China UnionPay, its transactions for cultural and tourism sectors across Jiangsu totaled 4.248 billion yuan on April 4 and 5, which accounted for 10.9% of the total nationwide and was the highest. The average daily transaction increase reached 71.3%, highlighting Jiangsu's vibrant holiday economy.
