Lijiang's Old Town ready for Spring Festival tourism boom

During the Spring Festival holiday, Lijiang’s Old Town has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in China.

Volunteers help visitors in the Old Town of Lijiang. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Protection and Management Bureau of Lijiang's Old Town has been striving to increase the festive atmosphere and maintain the old town’s security. The bureau has been organizing folk culture activities during the holiday, so tourists can experience the festive culture in Lijiang. A Spring Festival flower exhibition is underway in Lijiang’s old town from Feb 9 to March 11. The exhibition features landscapes themed around Lijiang’s attractions such as Yulong Bridge. Some 40,000 flowers of various species -- including wild daffodil, tulip and violet -- are on display. The colorful flowers and celebration flower sets add to the holiday atmosphere.

In addition to the flower exhibition, visitors can also experience Lijiang’s folk culture through a series of activities. On Feb 17 and 18, folk dancing and singing performances were staged in the town. During the performances, local Naxi residents taught visitors Naxi language and their special Dongba characters.

During holidays and marriage ceremonies, the Naxi people love to express their happiness through a dance is called datiao. During the Spring Festival holiday, datiao is performed in the Old Town every day and visitors are welcome to join in. A total of 18 cultural venues are open during the holiday, showcasing the history of Lijiang and the culture of the Naxi people.

Colorful flowers bloom at the flower exhibition in Lijiang’s Old Town, adding to the festive atmosphere. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Besides organizing activities, the Protection and Management Bureau of Lijiang's Old Town attaches great importance to security. Over 400 staff members are on duty during the holiday. Nearly 100 volunteers patrol the old town every day, ready to help tourists. Visitors can make inquiries or complaints to the bureau 24 hours every day.

As of Feb 18, the Old Town of Lijiang has hosted 442,386 visitors, who can enjoy the festive atmosphere, rich folk culture and safety of the town.