The opening ceremony for the 11th Cultural Tourism Festival opened on May 12 in Rugao, a county-level city of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province.

Nearly 1,000 people, including literature and history experts from all over the country, well-known travel agencies in the Yangtze River Delta, leaders of tourism associations, and tourists, attended the event.

Rugao, a city with more than 1,600 years of history, attaches great importance to the integrated development of culture and tourism. The 11 consecutive cultural tourism festivals have become an important way for the city to showcase itself to the world.

The most popular activities during the event were the market fairs featuring intangible cultural heritage items. The city issued 30,000 yuan ($4,286) in coupons so that tourists could better enjoy the night market.

In addition, activities such as the announcement of archaeological achievements, the exhibition and sale of special tourism products, and local cultural performances were held during the event.

Tourists watch a Rugao rod puppet show, a Jiangsu provincial intangible cultural heritage item. [Photo/Nantong Daily]