“There are not only lotus flowers, but also splendid lotus culture here.” That's what one tourist from Shanghai said when visiting the Lotus Culture Exhibition Hall at the Lotus Marsh Scenic Area in Jinhu county of Huai’an. Such praise can be heard at various tourist sites in Jinhu.
Boasting superior original ecological resources including the Lotus Marsh, Baima Lake and Macao Beach, Jinhu has been vigorously promoting its tourism industry by introducing China’s leading tourism enterprises in recent years. The world’s largest 666-hectare Lotus Marsh, the Lotus Cultural Experiencing Hall and the Aquatic Weed Agriculture Experience Hall have opened to the public. Jinhu has built up its large artificial ecological forest in northern Jiangsu into a largest forest leisure and vacation base in northern Jiangsu. These scenic spots have gradually formed the basis of Jinhu’s tourism route.
On April 16, the Huai’an Jinhu International Half Marathon started at the Lotus Plaza in Jinhu with over 11,000 domestic and international runners participating.
Jinhu has been working on integrating its tourism industry with other sectors including agriculture, culture, education and sport. It has held sports events such as cycling along Jinhu’s green roads, the international marathon and national primary and middle students’ handball competition to promote its tourism industry. It has also launched themed seasonal tourist routes and held tent and music festivals to raise the profile of these sports events to allow the green marathon route and lake cycling to headline Jinhu’s sports tourism.
