The 2016 Autumn Tourism Festival of Zhangjiagang was unveiled at the Xinyuan Holiday Hotel on Sept 23, attracting some 120 travel agency representatives and tourist officials from Suzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Deputy Mayor Shao Junmin addressed the opening ceremony and briefed guests about the city's tourism development over recent years.

The deputy mayor mentioned the efforts the city had gone to in developing a diverse range of tourist attractions, including scenic sports and environmentally-friendly resorts. In particular he mentioned Xiangshan Mountain, Yonglian village, Shuangshan Island and Changyingsha eco-agricultural tourist spot.

The 2016 Autumn Tourism Festival of Zhangjiagang opens at the Xinyuan Holiday Hotel on Sept 23. [Photo/zjg.wenming.cn]

The ceremony also witnessed Jiyanghu Ecological Zone being ranked as a national AAAA tourist attraction, along with awards handed out for the city's Top 10 hotel rooms. Cultural performances also took place, including folk dancing and singing, plus live sand painting.

A live sand painting show at the 2016 Autumn Tourism Festival in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/zjg.wenming.cn]

This year the autumn tourism festival will play host to a variety of activities, like the Xiangshan Mountain Maple Festival and Yonglian Village Harvest.