Wuxi promotes unique rural tourism destinations

A total of six destinations and 15 travel routes for leisure agriculture and rural tourism were promoted during a tourism promotion event held in Wuxi's Yangshan town on July 3.

Jiangsu province has held four such tourism promotion events in other cities and towns, aiming to help revive leisure agriculture and rural tourism in order to increase farmers' incomes and boost regional economic development.

Wuxi has been working to help develop unique features in towns and rural areas -- tea culture is promoted in Yixing city; honey peaches become features of Yangshan town; flowers are highlights of Binhu district; and wetlands in Xinwu district show visitors a harmony between people and nature.

In 2019, over 21 million tourists visited rural areas in Wuxi, bringing in a total revenue of nearly 3 billion yuan ($426.5 million), according to officials.

With the arrival of July, Yangshan's honey peaches are now in season. The total revenue from the peaches is expected to exceed 20 million yuan with the help of the 100-hectare honey peach farms in Yangshan town, officials said.

On July 2, authorities in Huishan district held a competition to select the best Yangshan Honey Peach, with 71 growers and 73 samples submitted. A product from the Guoduoduo Family Farm was ultimately selected as the "King of the Peach", with 10 growers also winning gold awards.