Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Zhuhai net 1.3 billion yuan ($206.6 million) during the weeklong National Day holiday, up 5.6 percent year-on-year, according to the official statistics released on Oct 8.

More than 2.37 million visitors set foot in the Guangdong city during holiday break which is dubbed "Golden Week" traditionally runs from Oct 1 to 7, but was prolonged to eight days this year due to it falling at the same time as Mid-Autumn Festival.

Officials from the Municipal Culture, Sports &Tourism Bureau said Zhuhai made a gratifying overall performance in the tourism market.

The longer duration of the holiday enabled more tourists to take trips, of them 50.38 percent took part in day tours while the number of visitors who stayed overnight, approximately 564,700, were also on the rise, presenting an increase of 1.3 percent compared with the same period from a year earlier.

On Oct 3, the third day of the holiday, even more visitors arrived, most from outside the city.

China Mobile's branch in Zhuhai was entrusted by the Culture, Sports &Tourism Bureau to carry out statistical analysis using big data collected by its intelligent service platform in order to benefit the regulation of the local tourist market.

Golden Beach in Jinwan District [Photos courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

Haibin Park, City Parlor (Haibin Beach), New Yuanming Palace (including Lost City Water Park), Xianglu Bay, and Zhuhai Hengqin Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort were the five most popular attractions.

According to a government official, the strong tourism market growth was driven by the brand effect of large-scale cultural tourism activities cultivated in a well-developed system covering various travel aspects.

A magnet for visitors, the 8th Beishan International Jazz Festival held at Beishanli Square in Beishan Village of Nanping Town from Oct 4 to 5 treated people present with a precision blend of high-end acousto-optic arts of elegant music. Nearly 30 jazz musicians in six bands were gathered from 10 countries and regions including France, Serbia, Macedonia, Denmark, Switzerland, and Poland performed various types of jazz centering on the theme of "Amour." The seven-year-old festival has been voted as a Zhuhai cultural card in a recent selection campaign.

The other engines for tourism growth included coastal leisure travel and gourmet food experiences, taking the special vacation service provided by the renowned Dreamland Resort on Wanshan Island and the Doumen Gourmet Cultural Festival from Oct 1 to 5 as examples.

At the same time, Zhuhai Ocean Spring Resort and Zhuhai Hengqin Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort offered new choices for family tours, including DIY contests, rainforest sightseeing and sleepover experiences at the bottom of the sea.