Pear Blossom Tourism and Culture Festival opens in Suzhou

The much-anticipated 2021 Pear Blossom Tourism and Culture Festival kicked off in Shushan village, Tong'an town, Suzhou on March 22 and will last until May 3, local media outlets reported.

With the decline of the COVID-19 epidemic and activities returning offline again, this year's festival is expected to host 12 themed activities, featuring pear flower-related poetry and nursery rhymes competitions, pear tree planting, spring fairs, flea markets, folk song shows, a rural food competition, as well as environmental protection lessons.

A creation base for internet writers from the Yangtze River Delta region was unveiled and has been home to several writers. The base also reached cooperative deals with four publishing houses, China Literature Limited, Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing Ltd, Ori Pictures, as well as Lion Pictures. They will team up to promote the commercialization of online literature and boost the development of the local cultural industry.

A digital platform designed to promote the rural tourism of Shushan village was put into operation and has already won the appreciation of recreational brands like Vue Hotels and Resorts, as well as Ximalaya FM, an online audio-sharing platform.

Shushan waxberries, a kind of renowned local fruit that is popular with foodies for its refreshing sweet and sour flavor, was honored as a national geographic indication product. The fruit is expected to embrace more brand-based and modern management in the near future.

Suzhou New District also rolled out a solicitation for its culture and tourism slogan on the same day, aiming to enhance its image among Chinese and foreign visitors.

In recent years, Tong'an town has ramped up efforts to build itself into a top-grade rural tourism destination in China and to establish the brand of Shushan Pear Blossoms.