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Team Yangzhou faced off against team Taizhou on June 15 at Yangzhou Sports Park Stadium in its first home game since the kickoff of the Jiangsu Football City League, or Suchao. After an intense 90-minute battle, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, presenting a spectacular "Morning Tea Derby".
Suchao, since its outset, has captured nationwide attention as a grassroots sporting event, fueling a tourism boom. By hosting its home match last weekend, Yangzhou saw visitor numbers soar by 88.6 percent compared to the previous weekend. To capitalize on the excitement, Yangzhou has rolled out a series of attractive travel packages for fans.
Crowds flock to Geyuan Garden, a quintessential Jiangnan-style garden in Yangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: yzs_lyj]
Ahead of the match, Yangzhou launched a digital map guiding fans to the 17 nightlife hotspots across the city. Visitors savored the laid-back local lifestyle by experiencing nighttime enchantments such as immersive performances along Slender West Lake and night tours of Geyuan Garden.
A quaint cruise drifts over the Grand Canal amid a luminous landscape. [Photo/WeChat account: yzs_lyj]
A nighttime Grand Canal cruise combining a boat tour with immersive cultural recreations became a sensation, drawing 2,307 tourists, a 167 percent week-on-week surge.
Yangzhou's cultural venues also rolled out themed events, from football-themed family adventures in Heyuan Garden and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) fairs in North Lake Wetland Park to talent shows for migrant workers at Song Jia City Sports and Leisure Park.
Flower-shaped decorations are displayed at a local market. [Photo/WeChat account: yzs_lyj]
The weekend market at the Yangzhou Culture and Art Center was also a hit. It showcased over a dozen ICH crafts, including paper-cutting, brick carving, and velvet flowers. Interactive wellness demos like herbal foot soaks and back-knocking therapies enticed curious travelers.
