People enjoy local cuisine at a night fair in Suzhou. [Photo provided to Suzhou Bureau of Commerce]
Suzhou, a popular tourist destination in East China's Jiangsu province, witnessed a significant boost in tourism and consumer spending during the 5-day May Day holiday, according to official statistics released on May 4.
During the period, Suzhou welcomed a total of 9.19 million tourists, up 29.9 percent from the same period in 2019, with tourism revenue reaching 11.02 billion yuan ($1.59 million), an increase of 17.8 percent over the same period in 2019.
People visit a car exhibition in Suzhou. [Photo provided to Suzhou Bureau of Commerce]
The holiday period also saw a significant surge in consumer spending, with 100 key retail enterprises in Suzhou expected to achieve 1.3 billion yuan in sales revenue, up 31.54 percent from the same period in 2019. The increase represents a significant boost of 135.27 percent over last year and 29.51 percent compared to 2021.
Four key catering enterprises that were monitored achieved a cumulative turnover of 46.46 million yuan during the holiday, an increase of 198 percent over the same period last year and 122.6 percent compared to 2019.
During the launch ceremony of Suzhou's consumption promotion campaign, which coincided with Shanghai's "5.5 Shopping Festival," 30 million yuan in coupons were distributed, with over 200 car companies participating in more than 400 promotional events, resulting in a total profit of over 1.5 billion yuan.
Outdoor sports gear is on sale in Suzhou. [Photo provided to Suzhou Bureau of Commerce]