Chengdu hosts peach blossom festival

The 27th Chengdu International Peach Blossom Festival opened on March 12 in Chengdu's Longquanyi district, a major peach base in China.

The event this year includes a series of activities such as flower appreciation events, a locally-produced automobile exhibition, hill-climbing tours, blind dates, theatrical performances and a photo exhibition.

Longquanyi district, about 20 kilometers away from downtown Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan, has more than 200 square kilometers of peach blossoms.

The event has played an important role in boosting local economy, with the average number of tourists reaching 4 million and tourism income exceeding 1 billion yuan ($160.8 million) annually in recent years, local officials said.