Top: A magician amazes children with bubbles during a performance at Sheshan tourist resort. Above left: The Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden in Sheshan features biodiversity awash with rare plants. Above right: Flyover shows take place during the 2019 AirCarnival in Sheshan. Photos provided to China Daily

The 2019 AirCarnival took to the skies above Sheshan National Tourist Resort's Shanghai Sculpture Park, Songjiang district from Sept 21 to 24, creating new highs for the resort as it continues to develop unique tourism activities.

The four-day event, which acted as an aviation science and education platform, included sports events, exhibitions and competitions, enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors, the resort said.

Highlight events included a drone race, a canoeing competition and spectacular flyover shows featuring helicopters, hydroplanes, drones and model airplanes. On the ground, visitors got to grips with all things aviation across interactive exhibitions.

The carnival, first held in 2018, was upgraded from the X-Fly Drone Racing International Open in the resort. The 2019 event was jointly organized by Songjiang district's tourism bureau, the management committee of Sheshan National Tourist Resort and the Shanghai General Aviation Association.

"The 2019 AirCarnival gathered many premium industrial resources and presented amazing shows to visitors," said Chen Long, the resort's deputy executive director.

"Sheshan National Tourist Resort is the only place in Shanghai that has approved airspace for flying helicopters, hydroplanes, drones and model airplanes," Chen said.

The resort's administration said they hopes events such as this will bring more knowledge and fun to ordinary people, making aviation-themed tourism gain altitude in Shanghai.

"The carnival featured various scientific and educational programs which broadened our horizons," said Li Xiang, a resident of Shanghai.

The resort, established in 1995, is the only natural mountain forest resort in Shanghai. As one of the largest national-level resorts in China in terms of total area, the Sheshan resort offers a view of 12 scenic mountains stretching 13 kilometers from southwest to northeast.

In recent years, the resort has worked to expand its tourism and cultural offerings to create a more pleasant experience for visitors in response to requirements made by the central government.

The resort is making a name for itself through its excellent combination of traditional Chinese culture, natural landscapes and modern civilization.

It is home to attractions such as the Happy Valley theme park, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park, where relics of ancient culture dating back to the Neolithic Age were unearthed, and the Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, which appeals to global visitors with its broad range of plants and some rarely seen species.

In 2018, the resort received more than 11.1 million visits, an increase of over 25 percent year-on-year. Its tourism income was 1.4 billion yuan ($197.09 million), an increase of 6.41 percent year-on-year.

Sheshan is also working to upgrade and add more facilities to ensure visitors enjoy a comfortable visit. Shimao Wonderland InterContinental Quarry Hotel, built in an 88-meter-deep abandoned quarry and opened in November 2018, has become the resort's major attraction. The hotel has 17 floors, more than 300 rooms and dining and entertainment facilities. Guests can view the crags and rocky outcrops from the rooms, whose design adopts natural elements such as waterfalls.

The 2019 AirCarnival is part of Songjiang Tourism Festival celebrations that run from Sept 15 to Oct 8.A series of celebration activities will be held during the National Day holiday to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The 2019 Happy Valley Magic Festival and Chenshan Botanical Garden Nature Festival will once again be the highlights.

The first Tent Music Festival will be held in Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park on Oct 2 and 3. The park will also host lantern shows running from Oct 1 to the 2020 Spring Festival. Some decorated floats will be placed on site to celebrate the upcoming National Day.