The cultural, tourism, sports, and MICE industries, which were stymied by the effects of COVID-19 prevention efforts, are steadily rebounding in Zhuhai as 191 out of 207 citywide travel agencies have resumed operations.

To date, the number of travel customers has grown from 2,400 in May to 10,200 in June. After six months in abeyance, on July 19 cross-province group tours were permitted again by the Department of Culture & Tourism of Guangdong Province.

The number of visitors to local scenic spots increased from 43,900 in February to 899,100 in June, while the average occupancy rate of citywide hotels rose from 6.14 percent to 28.03 percent.

Ticket printed at the movie theater [Photo courtesy Nanfangplus]

At Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort in Hengqin New Area, for instance, the number of visitors averaged about 20,000 during workdays and more than 30,000 on weekends. Chimelong will witness a further increase during summer vacation, according to Jiang Minling, general manager of the resort.

Moreover, movie theaters across the city reopened one after another with well-executed epidemic prevention and control measures following a July 20 notice from the China Film Administration.

Zhuhai Opera House on Yeli Island presented its first performance, The Monkey King, on July 12 after months of shut-down, and Huafa & CPAA Grand Theater in Shizimen presented 300 long-patient spectators July 24 with the Chinese modern dance drama Nomadic.

Local sports events are also recovering. The first city tennis match under normalized epidemic prevention and control, the 2019-20 Zhuhai Amateur Tennis Tournament, opened at Hengqin International Tennis Center in late June.

In terms of the MICE industry, Zhuhai's first large exhibition for 2020 -- the Zhuhai-Macao Houseware & Furnishing Exposition -- will take place at the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center in August. Next, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Tea Expo will open in September with an exhibition area of 15,000 sq m (3.7 acres).