Villagers and tourists transplant rice seedlings during a competition at Qihu Village of Chahe Township in Huai'an, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 28, 2022. Villagers and tourists enjoyed their weekend during a farming-themed festival in Huai'an. (Photo by Chen Kai/Xinhua)
NANJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The agritourism industry in east China's Jiangsu Province generated revenue of 107.78 billion yuan (about 15.15 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 18.83 percent year on year and hitting the 100-billion-yuan mark for the first time, provincial agriculture authorities said Tuesday.
Jiangsu's agritourism industry welcomed 410 million visitors last year, an increase of 16.67 percent year on year.
Early in 2023, provincial authorities issued a circular emphasizing the role of leisure agriculture in stimulating the growth of other industries and spurring consumption.
Over the course of 2023, more than 1,300 agriculture-themed festivities were hosted across Jiangsu Province, including fruit-picking activities and peach blossom, lotus and crab festivals. ■
