Tourism booms during National Day holiday in Fujian

Visitors head over to Gutian for some Red tourism. [Photo/WeChat account of Longyan Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism]

The tourism and cultural sectors of East China's Fujian province continued to boost and improve their holiday services during the recent National Day holiday by introducing high-quality cultural and tourism products.

Estimates indicated that Fujian received 38.18 million visits during the break, with tourists splashing out 31.53 billion yuan ($4.46 billion), representing 10.5 percent and 11.3 percent respective increases compared with the previous year.

In the run-up to the holiday, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism focused on the theme "Enjoying Fujian tea and flavors in the blessed place", organizing over 1,100 cultural and tourism activities and 160 initiatives across the province.

During the break, 131 scenic spots at the 4A-level and above in Fujian recieved over 7.84 million visits, posting a 21 percent increase year-on-year.

Breaking that down, 11 attractions at the 5A-level received 2.81 million visits, reporting a 10 percent increase. On top of that, some 15 national nighttime cultural and tourism clusters saw a total of 7.05 million trips, marking a 28.32 percent increase.

Various cultural and tourism departments in Fujian bolstered the integration of culture and tourism by hosting art performances, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) exhibitions and cultural displays. Events like the ICH shows in Zhangzhou ancient city attracted numerous visitors, with it hosting 260,000 visits on the first day alone. Meanwhile, provincial museums in Fujian received a total of 1.69 million visits during the National Day holiday, up a robust 12.57 percent.

The popularity of so-called "hidden gem" small cities in Fujian, known for their unique natural scenery, rich history, traditional architecture and distinctive cuisine, continued to grow. For example, destinations like Jiangle county and Youxi county in Sanming city in Fujian, as well as the Wuyishan National Park, attracted more tourists seeking leisure vacations to enjoy the autumn scenery.

Red tourism emerged as the popular choice for many tourists during the National Day holiday, with activities such as visiting exhibitions with a Red theme, exploring Red tourist attractions and discovering Red historical sites.

The Gutian Tourist Area in Longyan city is a famous and storied revolutionary site. It recorded over 65,000 visits, representing a hefty 30.1 percent increase on the previous year.

Fuzhou's fish balls prove to be a real hit with tourists. [Photo/WeChat account of Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism]

The "Taste of Fujian" series, launched by the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, sparked chatter on social media platforms about getting a mouthful or two of the delicious seafood in the province.