A woman takes photos at the peach garden in Fenghuang town, Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, has benefited a lot from its peach industry, which has become a new driver of the local economy, local media reported on March 22.

Known as the best honey peaches in Suzhou, Fenghuang honey peaches have been grown in Zhangjiagang for more than 100 years, and Fenghuang town was considered one of the earliest peach-growing areas in southern Jiangsu.

The peaches are famous for having been used as an imperial tribute since ancient times, and honey peaches in Fenghuang town were awarded a registration certificate as a National Geographical Indication Product by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs last year.

The large-scale growing of honey peaches has helped the town integrate culture and tourism, and a peach-themed cultural festival was held this year to boost its tourism industry.

An array of cultural and tourism activities were held during the festival including a hanfu show, displays of intangible cultural heritage items, and traditional pitch-pot games.

"We want the festival to become a famous festive event in the city, bring economic benefits to the people, and boost rural revitalization in the town," said a local official.