Millions spend Chinese Spring Festival in Guangzhou

Festive Spring Festival decorations in Guangzhou [Photo/Xinhua]

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, received almost 16 million tourists during the Chinese Spring Festival Golden Week from Feb 15 to 21, a year-on-year increase of 17.85 percent.

Latest data from the Guangzhou Tourism Bureau show that the city’s overall tourism revenue in the period set a new record at 11.12 billion yuan ($1.75 billion), an increase of 12.81 percent. The results of a sample survey reveal that 99.5 percent of 6,000 tourists were satisfied with their experience.

Guangzhou flower market attracts many tourists during Spring Festival. [Photo/gd.people.cn]

The popularity and good reputation were due to the promotion activities of the Fortune Global Forum in Guangzhou last December and the branding strategy of Guangzhou as a Flower City. During the Spring Festival, the Guangzhou flower market was first launched overseas in Paris and Barcelona, which attracted significant attention among global media and publicized the city’s scenic spots as well as its cultural characteristics.

A Spring Festival float parade in Guangzhou [Photo/Southern Metropolis Daily]

Flower markets and float parades delighted everyone during Spring Festival. Altogether 680,000 people enjoyed the three-day float parade from Feb 17 to 19. The local tourism department joined with China Southern Airlines and Lingnan Group to invite 20 international famous tourism experts and their families to spend Spring Festival in Guangzhou. The visits resulted in unanimous praise for the thoughtful organization and carefully arranged travel routes.