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The growing popularity of giant pandas is creating new opportunities for cultural and creative businesses at Yangzhou Expo Garden in Zaolinwan Tourist Resort in Yizheng, a county-level city of Yangzhou.
A giant panda rests at Yangzhou Expo Garden. [Photo/WeChat account: yzs_lyj]
Yangzhou Expo Garden is home to six giant pandas, which arrived in Zaolinwan in 2021. Under the attentive care of their keepers, each panda consumes 15 to 20 kilograms of bamboo daily, supplemented with apples, carrots and specially prepared steamed buns to ensure a balanced diet. On their birthdays, the pandas are treated to custom-made cakes and toys. Their endearing appearance continues to draw visitors from across the country, bringing a steady stream of tourists to the resort.
Panda-themed products are on sale at the store. [Photo/WeChat account: expo2021_yangzhou]
To capitalize on the strong appeal of the giant pandas, a store at the resort has evolved from a simple shop selling panda-themed merchandise into a multifunctional experience space combining cultural and creative products, traditional Chinese-style beverages, and leisure activities.
The store offers lifelike panda plush toys that produce panda-like sounds when touched, alongside more than 20 types of panda-themed products, including blind boxes and keychains. It has also introduced creative products incorporating elements of the historic salt-trading culture of Yizheng.
Meanwhile, its original Chinese-style tea drinks, priced between 10 yuan ($1.49) and 15 yuan, offer visitors an affordable way to unwind during their tour.
