The 4th Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Expo held the opening ceremony in Suzhou on September 22, with 13 key programs in 5 sections scheduled during the event.

Since the inauguration in 2019, the expo has been held in Yangzhou, Wuxi and Suzhou, attracting more than 376,000 people to visit in-person. This new edition also features online participation and the application of digital technologies to expand the outreach, giving a boost to the recovery of culture and tourism industries, innovation and quality-orientated growth.

(Photo/Yu Ping, Shao Dan & Jiang Wenchao) 

After the opening ceremony, guests had a night tour of Huqiu (Tiger Hill), Shantang River and Shantang Street, a prosperous old street block, to enjoy ancient buildings, cultural relics, and the renovation that combines modernity and ancient traditions.

The event at Suzhou International Expo Center includes special tour packages and exhibitions on intangible cultural heritage and signature delicacies, providing fresh and engaging experiences of understanding the ancient waterway system from different perspectives.