Fireworks display at Xiaoyangkou Resort. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province offered a variety of activities to celebrate Chinese New Year during the nine-day holiday, which ended on Feb 23.

These activities included lantern parades, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, opera shows, acrobatics, ancient town markets, and parent-child interactions.

According to Tongcheng Travel, during the Spring Festival holiday, the number of tourists in Nantong increased by 30.4 percent year-on-year, with order volume up by 41.4 percent and spending up by 21.9 percent.

From the first to the sixth day of the Chinese New Year, folk parades took place in Hai'an, Rugao, Rudong, Qidong, Tongzhou, and other areas in the city, showcasing local characteristics and development achievements. These events sparked waves of excitement and received multiple commendations from China Media Group.

Throughout the holiday, major scenic spots across the city introduced new offerings, focusing on themes like traditional customs, family interactions, and performances.

The Five Mountains scenic areas hosted a wide array of Chinese New Year garden activities, with the second Langshan Mountain Chinese New Year Lantern Show welcoming the Spring Festival with parades and various performances, attracting over 650,000 visitors during the holiday.

In Bencha Ancient Town, regular performances, Miao ethnic cultural showcases, boutique markets, acrobatic interaction, street dances, and striking iron flower shows offered citizens and tourists a unique Chinese New Year experience, drawing over 400,000 visitors during the holiday.

The Xiaoyangkou Resort offered an immersive Spring Festival experience full of festive flavor, featuring circus performances, light shows, specialty markets, children's games, and fireworks displays, attracting nearly 300,000 visitors during the holiday.

During the Spring Festival holiday, cultural facilities across Nantong held over 80 themed exhibitions, artistic performances, handicraft workshops, and folk markets, drawing more than 950,000 people.