Shanxi sees tourism boom over holiday

Visitors tour around the Ancient City of Pingyao, Shanxi province, Oct 1. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

During this year's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday from Sept 29 to Oct 6, the tourism market in North China's Shanxi province operated safely and stably.

The province's 66 key scenic spots received 6.14 million visitors and generated 243 million yuan ($33.67 million) in admission ticket revenue over the holiday. 

Various holiday activities were launched in scenic spots to attract visitors. Fantawild Oriental Heritage Amusement Park in Taiyuan offered night visits for eight consecutive days, giving visitors a chance to enjoy various attractions and performances as well as fireworks. Datong introduced 32 new activities, including square dancing, dressing up in traditional Chinese attire, and shadow puppetry shows.

Visitors view bronze exhibits at Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan, Oct 3. [Photo/Shanxi Daily] 

Cultural venues across the province also carried out intangible cultural heritage and cultural exhibitions. The Linfen Museum in Linfen, for instance, offered poetry recitations, paper cutting, woodblock printing of Pingyang-style New Year paintings, and pitching activities.

During the eight-day holiday, many people chose to visit the countryside, enjoying the beautiful rural scenery and lifestyle. Special farms, rural homestays, and camping sites became popular recreational destinations. For example, Nandali township in Xiaxian county presented various literary and art performances and exhibitions of specialty agricultural products, while Taolingou village in the suburbs of Yangquan city held traditional Chinese cultural events and bonfire parties.

Visitors watch the magnificent Hukou Waterfall in Linfen, Shanxi province, Oct 3. [Photo/Shanxi Daily] 

Throughout the holiday, departments at all levels in the province worked together to provide high-quality services to tourists. In the city of Linfen, more than 5,000 tourism volunteers were arranged at key scenic spots, airports, high-speed railway stations, and bus stations to provide services to tourists. Two tourism-exclusive bus routes were opened in Datong and three in Changzhi, while eight city sightseeing routes were opened in Yuncheng to make it easier for visitors to get around. 

At the same time, the Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism posted QR codes for the evaluation of A-rated scenic spots, travel agencies and tour guides to promptly understand tourists' experiences and potential needs.