Suzhou to create a world-class tourist destination

Suzhou, in neighboring Jiangsu Province, has stepped up its efforts in enriching Jiangnan cultural flavors, cooperation with Shanghai in culture and tourism fields, and tourism recovery. 

The Suzhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism has launched a program bringing local cultural performances such as Kunqu Opera and pingtan (storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect) into hotels and tourist attractions, Wang Rudong, director of the exchange and cooperation department of the bureau, said yesterday during an award ceremony.

The award ceremony in Suzhou hosted by the bureau and TripAdvisor recognized 58 tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants as "Travelers' Choice."

Tongli Ancient Town, Suzhou Museum, popular canal side street Pingjiang Road, Huqiu (Tiger Hill), Shantang Street, Zhuozheng Garden, also known as the Humble Administrator's Garden, and Jinji Lake were on the list. 

Suzhou will learn from Shanghai and step up cooperation with Shanghai and integration into the Yangtze River Delta region with the aim to create a world-class tourist destination, said Wang. 

There has been a trend of consumption upgrade in the tourism industry, TripAdvisor said. 

The number of bookings of hotel suites and luxury hotel rooms has witnessed a growth of 5 percent from last year, it said. 

The intention of short-distance weekend vacation trips and driving tours soared 218 percent this year compared with pre-pandemic, providing opportunities for the city to lure tourists from Shanghai and neighboring Zhejiang Province, TripAdvisor said.