Performers dance at Nianhua Bay, a scenic site in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. [Photo/China Daily]

Since early July, Liyuan Park in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, has seen visitors flock in droves to see the blooming lotus flowers.

Lotus flowers in different varieties and lush lotus leaves are the major attraction of the park in summer, said Wang Jinran, a local resident visiting the park with her mother.

"It's really a pleasure for me to admire the picturesque view in the summer breeze," Wang said.

The park is one of the five 4A-level scenic areas in the city's Binhu district. The district is also home to three 5A-rated scenic spots－those ranked the highest in China's tourism attraction rating system. They are China Central Television's Wuxi Movie and TV Production Base, Lingshan Mountain scenic area and Yuantouzhu scenic area.

Boasting the 108-kilometer shoreline of the Taihu Lake, the district receives tens of millions of visits every year thanks to its impressive natural assets and human-made spectacles, according to the local government.

Every March and April, Yuantouzhu scenic area turns into a sea of flowers as its 30,000 cherry trees spring into full bloom with delicate white and pink cherry blossoms.

The annual International Cherry Blossom Festival is held there during that time, attracting tourists to enjoy the scenery, taste cherry blossom-made food and experience cultural activities.

As the permanent venue of the World Buddhist Forum, Lingshan Mountain scenic area features one of the largest Buddhist statues in China.

Throngs of travelers from home and abroad are drawn to the mountain every year to pray for good luck and health.

Over the May Day holiday which ended on May 5, Nianhua Bay, part of Lingshan Mountain scenic area, enchanted visitors with a festival highlighting traditional Chinese culture and hanfu, a type of ancient Chinese clothing.

In the Buddhist-themed town, visitors watched traditional performances and took part in activities such as copying out Buddhist scriptures and flower arrangement while dressed in hanfu.

Official data shows that Binhu recorded nearly 1.15 million visits during the May Day holiday, accumulating revenue of 1.03 billion yuan ($159.2 million).

Binhu is also known for its prosperous cultural and film industries.

Since 2017, the Taihu Film and Culture Industry Investment Summit has been held for five consecutive years in Wuxi Studios, a national digital film industrial park in Binhu district.

The park's cultural industry continues to thrive and it is home to 2,600 cultural businesses, covering fields of filmmaking, tourism, online games and performing arts, according to Zhou Beibei, deputy director of the Binhu department of publicity.

In the first quarter alone, a total of 277 films and TV series were approved for shooting in the park.

Over the past five years, the district government has put a strong emphasis on the coordinated development of sports, culture and tourism, with 15 sports parks built from 2016-20 and the length of urban walking trails increased to 276 kilometers.

In addition, Binhu hosted an array of sporting events including the Lihu Lake Half-Marathon, which is popular among marathon enthusiasts for the stunning scenery along the route.

By integrating the three sectors, the race not only promotes national fitness but showcases the district's natural beauty and profound culture, said organizers of the marathon.