Tonglu sees tourism boom in 2019

Visitors take a selfie an a gingko forest in Tonglu county, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/sipa]

Statistics from Tonglu Academy of Science showed that Tonglu county in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, received more than 20 million tourists by Dec 8, 2019, generating tourism revenue of 22.21 billion yuan ($3.18 billion), ranking third in the city behind Xiaoshan and Yuhang counties.

The boom can be attributed to the county's recent vigorous efforts to boost local rural tourism. The number of tourists increased by 26.46 percent year-on-year while the tourism revenue grew by 31.28 percent.

The launch of the Hangzhou-Huangshan High-speed Railway also had a significant effect on the county's tourism industry. Tonglu High-speed Railway Station had welcomed 1.2 million passengers by Dec 5, ranking first among Hangzhou's four stations on the Hangzhou-Huangshan line

Tonglu boasts a rich variety of tourism resources, with about 20 distinctive scenic areas including five at AAAA-level, two national historic and cultural villages, and 13 national traditional villages. It has also developed one national AAAA-level village scenic area, and 16 at AAA and AA-level.

The county now houses 645 homestay inns, offering 11,350 beds.

Tonglu has been committed to promoting tourism by integrating it with culture, launching a tourism and culture alliance to integrate resources and develop in a coordinated way.