Suzhou: A City Worthy Of More Than A 144-Hour Stay

The 144-hour visa-free transit allows travelers to cross mountains and seas to pursue love, but it is not enough to explore the deep history and heartfelt stories of a city.

With the recovery of global tourism and the further opening of China’s tourism market, Suzhou, a popular tourist destination in Jiangsu province in East China, has proven itself to be a burgeoning international tourism hub thanks to the “144-hour visa-free transit and group travel visa-free policy.” In the first seven months of this year, Suzhou received a total of 495,000 overnight tourists, marking a year-on-year increase of 97.9%.

The slogan “Go to China, and travel in Suzhou,” serves as a sincere invitation from Suzhou Cultural Tourism to the world. While “China Travel” goes viral on the Internet, how can “Suzhou Travel” remain low profile?

From September 25 to 26, a massive poster showcasing an oriental garden occupied screens in the core business districts of London, United Kingdom, and Auckland, New Zealand, revealing the picturesque scenery of Suzhou. The watercolor-like image drew the attention of countless passersby, prompting questions about Suzhou’s location in such a vast country and aspirations to visit.

As soon as foreign tourists set foot in Suzhou, they will discover surprises everywhere.

Zina, a beauty Vlogger from the Czech Republic with nearly six million followers, recorded a Vlog capturing her 24-hour experience in Suzhou. Dressed in a silk cheongsam, she boarded a boat to listen to the Jiangnan ditty sung by the boatman in a gentle dialect and walked along the historic Pingjiang Road to soak in the “slow time” of old Suzhou.

In contrast to Zina, Jason, a British Vlogger with one million followers, dedicated most of his “24 hours in Suzhou” to experiencing the allure of “oriental opera.” He visited the China Kunqu Opera Museum and the Suzhou Pingtan Museum, enjoying classics like “The Peony Pavilion” along with famous Pingtan selections inclding “Good Scenery of Suzhou.” After “rewarding” his ears with local music, Jason further indulged his taste buds with a wide variety of Suzhou-style dishes and exquisite pastries that left him craving more.

Jared, a Canadian Vlogger with a million followers, only has eyes for Suzhou’s classical gardens and picturesque water towns. He loudly greeted passers-by while jogging on the Wuque Bridge in the morning. Then, he enjoyed a hearty morning tea in a 30-year-old tea house. After a bowl of Gorgon fruit (known as “ginseng in water”) syrup, Jared became even more determined to stay in Suzhou. Dressed in Han-style clothing, Jared joined the “travel photography” crowd and asked a photographer to take photos of him. Quickly, the blond blended into the ancient buildings of Suzhou without any sense of incongruity.

Similar to them, many foreign Vloggers have recorded their wonderful experiences in Suzhou in different ways. Their followers, attracted by their recommendations, said they really wanted to come to Suzhou and have a wonderful experience.

In order to live up to the expectations and love of foreign tourists for Suzhou, Suzhou Cultural Tourism has shown its full sincerity.

In May this year, the Suzhou Municipal People’s Government issued the “Several Measures to Promote Suzhou Inbound Tourism (Trial).” This three-chapter policy contains ten incentives, creating a convenient and friendly environment for overseas tourists in every aspects upon their landing on China

A thousand words are not worth a sincere meeting. It is a big world. China is a beautiful country. Suzhou is a gorgeous place. Just come. Suzhou welcomes you.