Agri tech park attracts more visitors

Taking advantage of the ecological wetland of the Jialing River, the Fengyi Bay China-France agricultural technology park in Nanchong, Southwest China's Sichuan province, is transforming natural endowments into consumption momentum, and attracting a greater number of visitors.

The park, which held thematic activities throughout last year, saw 1.2 million visits, generating 800 million yuan ($112 million) in sales revenue.

The park has driven significant growth in consumption of catering and accommodation services in its surroundings, and new models such as online direct sales and livestreaming sales have begun to show results.

This has enabled farmers to share in the development dividends and promote the extension of the agricultural product processing as well as cultural and creative development industry chain.

The tomato valley in the park is capable of producing 200,000 kilograms of tomatoes per year. The tomato-themed science popularization exhibition hall sees 100,000 visits annually.

The international flight campsite at the park provides helicopter and hot air balloon sightseeing, and has been selected as a typical case of national transportation and tourism integration.

Cute Island Water World in the park has become a summer hit with over 30 water projects, setting a record for sales exceeding 1 million yuan in six hours.

Furthermore, the Fengyi Bay Grand Stage in the park drove 50 million exposures to the scenic area in 23 days since opening.

The park has also become a gathering place for fishing enthusiasts in the Southwest, and scenes such as equestrian clubs and water sports centers continue to attract visitors. This year, four film and television dramas will be filmed, further enriching the cultural and tourism aspects of the park.

Zhang Tao, president and general manager of Fengyi Bay Agricultural Development Co Ltd, said: "The original intention of building the park was to increase the income of local farmers. The park, planned in 2016, began construction in 2017 and was completed in 2018.

During peak hours on weekends, there are 50,000 to 60,000 visitors. Throughout the whole of last year, there were 1.2 million visits."

In the future, Fengyi Bay will focus on continuous iteration and innovation of new consumption scenarios, continuously explore deep integration with health and wellness vacations, art and cultural creativity, digital technology and other fields.

It will also plan new and diverse consumption scenarios, further strengthen brand influence, enhance the experience of tourists, and stimulate consumption, he noted.