People enjoy themselves at an attraction in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgwtgl]

The tourism industry in Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, experienced a boom during the five-day May Day holiday, with tourists flocking to the city's attractions and hotels.

Data showed that the city received 676,300 visitors during the holiday period, including 365,200 visitors to A-level tourist attractions, resorts, and key rural villages, which represents a year-on-year increase of 32.51 percent and has brought the industry back to 2019 levels.

To attract visitors, several tourist attractions held special events. The Jiyang Lake scenic area hosted a robot fair for families, while the Yonglian scenic area held a circus festival. The Shazhou Youhuang Culture Park held an intangible cultural heritage event and a temple fair, which drew more than 110,000 tourists from April 29 to May 3.

In addition to tourist attractions, 13 hotels in the city also saw an increase in business, receiving 6,895 guests, a year-on-year increase of 48.57 percent. The total revenue was 15.38 million yuan ($2.22 million), a year-on-year increase of over 300 percent.

The city also held 203 cultural and sporting activities serving nearly 54,600 citizens and tourists. The events included performances, calligraphy and painting exhibitions, reading activities, and sports competitions. The events were held in the city's main commercial districts, tourist attractions, and various towns and streets.

In addition, more than 71,000 people visited cinemas in the city, generating box office revenue of 2.79 million yuan over the holiday.