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Throngs of visitors stroll down a street in Jiaxing. [Photo/jiaxingren.com]

Jiaxing recorded a staggering 44.78 million tourists during the May Day holiday, generating 5.81 billion yuan ($717.71 million) in revenue. This marked a growth of 28.33 percent in tourist numbers and 41.16 percent in revenue compared to 2023, and a staggering 39.78-percent increase in tourists and a 67.74-percent surge in revenue compared to 2019.

Hotels in Jiaxing enjoyed a high occupancy rate of about 90 percent during the holiday, with a 33.3-percent increase from last year. According to Ctrip, 75.1 percent of visitors were from outside the province, with Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Anhui contributing the most. People born in or after the 90s dominated visitor demographics, accounting for 31.17 percent of the total. Longer stays became a trend, with 46.83 percent of tourists staying for two days and 11.37 percent for three.

The Nanhu Lake Resort, along with other historical and cultural blocks, hosted various events that attracted numerous visitors and saw a 33.5-percent increase in visitors compared to 2023.

In addition, nearly 200 cultural activities were held, with nearly 1 million participants.

The holiday period also saw a flurry of activity in the city's ancient towns, which remained the most popular tourist destinations. Xitang and Wuzhen, two of Jiaxing's most famous ancient towns, received 471,400 and 305,900 visitors, respectively, marking increases of 28.6 percent and 12.6 percent over 2023 and 25.3 percent and 13.7 percent over 2019.

Rural areas also thrived, with local cuisine drawing many visitors to the countryside. The 3A-level scenic villages in the city saw a 53.21-percent rise in visitors over the previous year.