9.3m tourists visit Ningbo during holiday break

A parade of people in exotic costumes marches on the street at Xiangshan Movie & TV Town during National Day holiday. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province received 9.31 million tourists over the recent eight-day National Day holiday, up 13.75 percent year-on-year, according to data from the Ningbo municipal tourism administration.

The coastal city's tourism industry generated total revenues of 7.17 billion yuan ($1.08 billion) during the holiday, which ran Oct 1-8, the data also revealed.

Xikou tourist area was the most popular destination in Ningbo, receiving 967,000 visitors in total, followed closely by Dongqian Lake, Songlan Mountain, Xiangshan Movie & TV Town and Heming ancient town.

A variety of cultural activities such as folk art performances were organized in scenic areas throughout Ningbo to help boost visitor numbers.

In addition to famous scenic spots, tours of the countryside around Ningbo also attracted a lot of people. Urban residents experienced rural life in villages, enjoying outdoor activities and tasting traditional food.

People line up outside the Gangyagou restaurant on Oct 5. It is a time-honored eatery famous for serving the sweet cuisine local to Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]