The straw-plaited articles on display at the 2022 Nantong Rural Tourism Festival. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The 2022 Nantong Rural Tourism Festival was held on Liuxiban Streets, a scenic spot in Haimen district, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, on July 22.

During the opening ceremony, a trade fair for agricultural products, exhibition for intangible cultural heritage, competition of rural dishes, camp festival, and fruit picking activity took place simultaneously to showcases Nantong's many tourist attractions.

Handmade stuffed toys on display at the 2022 Nantong Rural Tourism Festival. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Ten livestreaming hosts were also invited to promote local produce online.

The first group of candidate characteristic rural tourism villages and towns in Nantong, including Qiezhen, Dongshe and Changle, was announced at the ceremony.

Nantong has in recent years been making efforts to boost the high-quality development of rural tourism. To date, the city has become home to three national villages for rural tourism, nine provincial villages for rural tourism, and more than 100 residential communities featuring rural tourism.