By Yuling Chen, iChongqing News

Chongqing- During the Chinese New Year, what enjoyable activities does Chongqing offer? Mr. Qin Dingbo, Deputy Director of Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, promotes more than 200 cultural and tourism activities full of Chongqing local elements at a news conference on January 31, 2019.

Jiefangbei in downtown Chongqing

The tourism revenue of Chongqing last year totaled RMB 434.35, grew by 31.3% year on year. Moreover, the growth rate ranked first in many domestic and foreign authorities

This year, Ctrip, Qunar, Tuniu and many other national platforms focused on Chongqing. In their forecast reports based on big data, Chongqing ranked among the top ten in the country during the Spring Festival in terms of tourism popularity.

More than 200 New Year activities to explore

What can tourists and locals enjoy during the important Chinese festival for the family reunion?

“Snow, hot springs, cruises, dragon and lion dance, exhibitions and shows of intangible cultural heritage, the song and dance, as well as the New Year’s prayer... can be described as diverse and varied,” introduced Mr. Qin Dingbo.

Eastern Hot Springs for the family tour

Almost all the districts and counties in Chongqing have launched altogether more than 200 cultural tourism activities in celebration of the Spring Festival. Locals and tourists can get a sense of the festive atmosphere in the downtown or in the countryside, in the scenic area or in the streets, in the museum or in the shopping mall.

For example, Beibei District in downtown Chongqing has traditional Chinese New Year activities. They include mountaineering and garden-visiting, as well as photography exhibitions, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, digital cultural experiences and etc. In Shapingba, there are pig-themed activities as 2019 is the Year of the Pig in China, and cultural performances for ordinary people. You can enjoy the free land tour, enjoy dragon and lion dances or experience New Year prayers in Wushan County. In Fuling District, there are the New Year Temple Fair, the "Two Rivers Night Tour" and "Wujiang Gallery Tour".

Lighting decoration of pig in Chongqing, China (Photo by Li Hua)

Cultural tourism with the festive atmosphere

In Ciqikou Ancient Town, visitors can enjoy the traditional buildings of the ancient Bayu complexes. Additionally, the ancient town presents the traditional art of opera highlights, face-changing of Sichuan Opera, the stand-up comedy, folk songs, and the tea ceremony.

Visitors can also experience cultural activities such as writing Spring Festival couplets, welcoming the God of Wealth, guessing riddles, etc in Changshou Ancient Town.

Pengshui has mountains to climb and the Ayi River to enjoy. Visitors can also go to Chiyou Jiuli City to experience an ethnic way of New Year celebration.

In Yongchuan, Chongqing Locajoy Theme Park offers comers opportunities to have close contact with animals and nature. Visitors can also go to the Yongchuan Sports Center for temple fairs, where has lanterns and enjoy dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, stilts performance.

Parrots in Wildlife World (Photo by Yang Yilin)

The mountain city upgrades cultural tourism to "nurture the heart"

There are more than 200 activities on the long list of cultural tourism. In addition to the scenery, traditional items and interactive activities, many eye-catching cultural events are nurturing the heart. These events represent the integration of culture and tourism in an innovative way so as to upgrade cultural tourism.

The Chongqing  Natural History Museum has launched a large-scale exhibition of "Age of Pandas", which reveals the past and present of giant pandas. It is reported that the exhibition is The first exhibition in Chongqing will be followed by tours abroad.

Chongqing Sichuan Opera Arts Center, Chongqing Grand Theater are also part of the cultural events.

Source: Chongqing Daily

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