The tourism market in Tai'an, a popular tourism destination in Shandong province, has seen a stable recovery over the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, though sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks have brought side effects to the market.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month and is a celebration of the moon. This year, the festival took place on Sept 21. Since ancient times, it has been customary for Chinese to reunite with family members and enjoy a sweet mooncake while observing the moon on this occasion.

According to statistics from the Tai'an municipal bureau of culture and tourism, nearly 159,500 trips were made over the holiday to 14 scenic spots and six rural tourist spots, which were monitored by local government, generating revenue of 7.39 million yuan ($1.15 million).

Tai'an hosted a series of cultural activities during the holiday to meet the consumption demand of tourists. The city issued consumption vouchers worth 300,000 yuan during the second China International Cultural Tourism Fair held from Sept 16 to 20 to stimulate cultural tourism market.

Short-distance tours and theme parks, were favored by travelers, said Tai'an officials. Many Tai'an citizens enjoyed the holiday with their families in the rural areas.

A series of cultural activities also drew much attention such as the gourmet festival at Tianyi Lake, a poetry interaction event, and a lantern riddle guess activity, which enrich people's cultural life.

The city also tightened epidemic prevention and control measures before and during the festival to ensure the safety of travelers.

Tourists pray for fortune on Mount Tai. The mountain, one of the most popular attractions in Tai'an, was recognized as a world natural and cultural heritage site in 1987. [Photo/WeChat account: SDTXTA]