Visitors take a selfie an a gingko forest in Tonglu county, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/sipa]

Tonglu county in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province saw a boom in its tourism in 2019.

Statistics show that the county received more than 20 million tourists as of Dec 8, generating tourism revenue of 22.21 billion yuan ($3.18 billion), becoming the first county in western Zhejiang to have received more than 20 million tourists and generated more than 20 billion yuan of tourism revenue in a year.

The boom can be attributed to the county's vigorous effort to boost local tourism this year.

The county now houses 645 homestay inns, offering 11,350 beds. They received nearly 5.46 million tourists this year, generating revenue of 39.85 million yuan, up 28.6 percent and 29.3 percent year-on-year respectively.

Tonglu has been committed to promoting tourism by integrating it with culture and sports. It built 12 countryside bookstores, as well as carried out more than 100 cultural activities and sports events, including an international half-marathon and an international football tournament.

It also applied digital technologies to make it more convenient for tourists to check in and out of scenic spots and hotels.

In addition, Tonglu has strengthened promotion and advertising of its tourism activities. It held 36 cultural and tourist festivals, as well as 16 promotional activities in other areas.