Throughout the Spring Festival holiday from Feb 14 to 23, Tongzhou district, Nantong, saw a surge in tourism and strong commercial activity.

A folk parade ignites the downtown area of Tongzhou district on Feb 21, the fifth day of Chinese New Year. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]

Tongzhou's A-grade tourist attractions, key rural tourism villages, and other leisure spots were packed. A total of 360,000 visitors flocked to these places, a 91.8 percent jump from the previous year.

On the fifth day of Chinese New Year, the Tongzhou Folk Culture Parade lit up the downtown area. Special contingents displayed themed floats, emphasizing the district's expertise in home textile and construction, along with achievements in rural vitalization, attracting over 50,000 spectators.

The Zhouji Green Expo Garden, with its warm tropical plant halls, created a festive atmosphere using seasonal flowers like tulips, welcoming 39,000 visitors.

Flower Town's New Year garden party combined dragon and lion dances with snowscapes and pet interactions, attracting 30,000 visitors.

The market was also thriving. During the holiday, three large retail firms and Wanda Plaza in Tongzhou together generated sales exceeding 60 million yuan ($8.74 million), which is a 10.2 percent increase compared to the previous year.