A PLETHORA of delightful attractions drew 1.74 million visitors, 431,500 staying overnight and spending 1.01 billion yuan ($158 million) during the seven-day National Day holiday -- increases of 2.62 percent, 3.55 percent and 3.58 percent respectively over the same period last year.
The 12th Zhuhai International Beach Music Festival, 1st Zhuhai International Comic & Animation Festival, 2015 Doumen Food Festival, Jinwan District Fun Motor Vehicle Assembly and 2015 Carefree Jinwan Carnival, New Yuanming Palace and the 5D Castle Theatre at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (which alone registered the 2,000,000th spectator during the holiday), drew floods of local residents and visitors from the Pearl River Delta. Nonetheless, Typhoon Mujigae from October 4 to 7 drastically reduced the number of visitors at various tourist attractions.
The holiday saw the number of border-crossers rise by 10 percent to 2.5 million at local checkpoints. Gongbei Checkpoint recorded 2.28 million border-crossings during the seven days, growth of 4.5 percent compared to last year. Likewise, Hengqin Checkpoint recorded nearly 200,000 border-crossings, a 40 percent increase.
Liveable Life Exhibition
The first Zhuhai International Liveable Life Exhibition, sponsored by the Zhuhai Daily and Huafa International Convention & Exhibition Management co ltd, opened at the International Convention & Exhibition Centre on National Day and concluded on October 3. It was comprised of housing developments, automobiles, finance, travel, education, culture, furniture, wedding dress photography, wine, food and more categories exhibited by nearly 60 enterprises.
Huafa Group showcased its 14 housing developments on sale in major cities throughout the country along with its culture, education, convention and exhibition, sports, high-end hotel and other projects. Meanwhile, wines from Greece, Portugal, France, Spain and others countries were popular with visitors.
Themed liveable life, the exhibition was the first of its kind in China, and will continue to take place annually, according to Pan Keqing, president of the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Beach Music Festival
Running October 1 to 4, the 2015 Zhuhai International Beach Music Festival grew to a larger scale than previously. For the first time, it also set a Zhuhai Day on the 4th, when six local college student bands staged live performances along with representatives of six local bands -- Lafayette, Bad Boy, Hourglass, Witness, Stove Poker and Monks -- to show their music originality. Furthermore, the main stage and interactive stage were provided for local students and bands.
Meanwhile, pop, rock ‘n roll, ballad and other music genre stars from Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan were performed. For example, S.Y.S, highly renowned pop star Chang Chen-yue, A-lin, Song Dongye, Escape Plan, The Killers and Supper Moment from Hong Kong, independent musicians Zhao Lei, Zhao Zhao, Cher Lloydv, and The Life Journey delighted the audience with live music.
The organiser had called for spectators to keep the beach clean and make the festival the cleanest in China.
International Boat Show
The three-day 2015 China (Zhuhai) International Boat Show, which opened on September 29 and concluded on October 1, drew 32,000 visitors and 10,000 businesspeople, and saw over 420 million yuan ($66.2 million) worth of agreements signed.
Seven agreements valued at 300 million yuan ($47.3 million), covering acquisition of IAG by Sunbird, deluxe yacht manufacture, fibreglass yacht, 600-seat leisure cruise ship manufacture, 47m multi-functional yacht manufacture, and intelligent unmanned boat manufacture, were signed during the investment environment promotion and ceremony.
The Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Yacht Industry Development Forum, the first China Yacht & Sailboat Public Wharf Development Forum, investment environment promotion, new boat model release, feature training, national college student yacht design contest, and B2B business talks for exhibitors and businesspeople were also hosted.
The event was sponsored by the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, Guangdong Yacht Industry Association and Zhuhai Airshow co ltd, and co-organised by Zhuhai Bolian International Convention & Exhibition co ltd, Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and Boats & Yacht Branch Commission of China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry.
The next boat show will take place in September 2016 and will focus on higher professionalism and more exhibits to draw more ship manufacturers, engine producers and yacht industry chain upstream and downstream businesses to participate. The goal is to make the show one of the most characterised and influential in China and help make Zhuhai a “city of yachting,” according to the sponsor.
Doumen countryside activities
Doumen’s countryside activities such as the Food Festival highlighting local culinary and refreshments, On-Water Group Wedding, Eco-Lotus Root Festival and Countryside Carnival drew 230,000 visitors to spend 38 million yuan ($6 million).
Imperial Hot Spring, with 100 percent room occupancy, recorded 2,000 visitors daily, and the same with the 5km-Lianjiang River Scenic Spot. Besides, Jintai Temple, Jiexia Manor, Doumen Old Street, Luyi Ancestral Hall, One Tree Leisure Farmstead Restaurant and other sites were popular with tourists, especially motorists from downtown and neighbouring areas.
Sponsored by the Zhuhai Daily, Doumen District Culture, Radio & Press Bureau, Doumen Tourist Bureau and Doumen Catering Industry Association, the Food Festival encompassed Doumen featured cuisines and refreshments, and nationwide, Zhuhai selected, Lingnan and Hong Kong and Macao cuisines with 158 booths. Shunde chefs also brought their specialties such as fried milk and steamed pig, which immensely pleased diners.
In the meantime, 16 pairs of newlyweds from six provinces and municipalities took part in the Doumen On-Water Group Wedding, which drew nearly 50,000 spectators. Cantonese opera, lion and dragon dances and Buddha Fist Kung Fu were performed to usher in the wedding.
Zhuhai
Lifestyle
