Tourists flock to Five Mountains Scenic Area in Nantong during the May Day holiday. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province received 4.71 million tourists and generated 2.49 billion yuan ($344.56 million) in tourism revenue during the five-day May Day holiday, which ended on May 5, local media reported.

The two figures represented respective year-on-year increases of 18.1 percent and 17.3 percent.

The top 10 scenic spots in terms of tourist numbers in the city were Langshan Mountain Scenic Area, Haohe River Scenic Area, Nantong Forest Safari Park, Xiaoyangkou Scenic Area, Golden Beach Scenic Area, Bancha Ancient Town, Qitang City Scenic Area, Shuihui Garden, Zhouji Menghuan Island, and Tangzha Beishi Scenic Area.

During the holiday, major scenic spots in the city improved and expanded their offerings. Five Mountains Scenic Area saw a surge in popularity with activities  revolving around mountain climbing, cultural handicrafts, poetry and peony appreciation, and tea picking, welcoming over 255,000 visitors during the holiday period. The Nantong Forest Safari Park introduced a new international circus show, while the night park put on a spectacular drone show, attracting over 150,000 visitors during the holiday, with the treehouse hotel staying fully occupied.

The trend of "reverse tourism (travelers choosing lesser-known or nontraditional destinations)" has boosted rural tourism near the city, with many tourists opting to explore lesser known areas in the countryside, where they can enjoy history, parent-child education, and poetic rural scenery. The Wonderful Farm, with its colorful giant stone art exhibition, has become a popular destination for families, where children can play to their heart's content. The camping site on Kaisha Island offers camping in the mountains under the starry sky, accompanied by music and bonfires.

Cultural activities in the city continued to gain momentum during the holiday. More than 1 million people participated in over 400 cultural activities.