Qinglong Port scenic area in Haimen district, Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Haimen district in Nantong, Jiangsu province was recognized nationally for its outstanding efforts to develop a cultural industry to aid its rural vitalization drive, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently announced.

Sixty-three places in the country received the honor.

Haimen has in recent years been tapping into its unique cultural resources to advance the in-depth integration of culture and tourism, including the history of Zhang Jian (1853-1926), an industrious and aspiring entrepreneur who not only established the Dasheng Cotton Mills that once led China's cotton-spinning industry in the early 20th century, but also built museums, hospitals, nursing homes, and founded and co-founded some 370 schools in Nantong.

It was he who earned his hometown the title of the first city in modern China.

The district has also rolled out a series of cultural and tourism products such as study tours, ecology tours and leisure tours in an effort to turn its natural scenery into economic strength. The annual tourism revenue in its Changle town reached 70 million yuan ($9.62 million) last year.

In addition, 10 cultural and tourism projects related to the development of cultural and creative products and animation creation have been launched in the district this year.