A view of Laowaitan, a signature pedestrian street in downtown Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/ccnb.com.cn]

Laowaitan, a signature pedestrian street in downtown Ningbo, recently made the list of the first batch of national tourism and leisure blocks.

The list was released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Development and Reform Commission.

Also known as the Old Bund, Laowaitan is situated on the north bank of the confluence of the Yaojiang River, Fenghua River, and Yongjiang River. 

Laowaitan used to be a gateway to Ningbo in ancient times and is the birthplace of the renowned Ningbobang, which refers to a group of successful businesspeople who were born in Ningbo but live outside the city.

A large number of European buildings which have been built since Ningbo's opening up in 1844 can still be seen on the street.

Known for its cobbled streets and bustling bars and restaurants, the street is popular among foreigners and locals alike.

Laowaitan was included in the national pilot program for pedestrian street renovation and upgrading by the Ministry of Commerce in 2020.

It welcomed 2.4 million visitors in 2020 and raked in 210 million yuan ($32.3 million) in tourism revenue. Both the visitor numbers and tourism revenue generated in the night accounted for more than 70 percent of the total.