(CFP Photo)

Jiangsu’s tourist attractions rated A-class or higher, key villages in rural tourism, and nightlife destinations welcomed a total of 31.32 million visitors in the May Day holiday, generating a revenue of 14.1 billion yuan, up 29.6% and 20.04% year-on-year, respectively, according to the provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

Car rental and travel platforms reported a significant increase in bookings over the holiday period. Niche scenic spots and counties emerged as popular new destinations for tourists. Smaller cities and low-profile counties and rural areas registered strong growth in visitor numbers due to the cost-effective options.

The number of outbound travels continued to rise, nearly doubling from the same holiday last year. Cruise ship travel experienced an explosive growth as the international services rapidly recovered.

Data from the online tourism platform Fliggy showed that Jiangsu was a major source of outbound travel. Bookings for international flights and hotels by tourist from the province nearly doubled in the period.

Music concerts, night markets and bars increasingly topped the list of popular activities for many tourists. Against this background, Meituan released a bar guide of 630 bars to cater to young people interested in nighttime tourism.

According to Meituan, Jiangsu ranked second nationwide in terms of inbound tourists and tourism spending in the first four days of the holiday.