Jiangsu spurs spending - and camping with tigers

Cities in Jiangsu province have begun issuing coupons to boost consumption curbed by COVID-19 flare-ups.

Zhenjiang has worked with many of its companies to issue coupons worth 60 million yuan ($9 million) since Sunday. The government itself gave out coupons worth 5 million yuan on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Zhenjiang Gold Mountain Consumer Festival, which will run to September.

Yu Jun, deputy director of the city's commerce bureau, said the distribution of coupons will encourage consumption of about 120 million yuan.

"Eight consumer-themed special activities to spur consumption will be held in the city," said Yu. "Another 100 activities will be held in large shopping malls and supermarkets."

Suzhou will issue coupons worth 100 million yuan, while the provincial capital, Nanjing, has implemented a host of measures to spur consumption.

The Hongshan Forest Zoo in Nanjing has also made moves to attract more tourists, who can now sleep in tents near its Tiger Mountain and try to sleep as tigers roar.

The zoo now offers 50 tents at Tiger Mountain and 15 more beside a lake near the north gate. The "camping in the zoo" program has been popular since it was introduced to the public.