A group of 43 foreign nationals from 33 major travel agencies and media outlets in Poland visited Tongli Ancient Town on Apr. 10.
The Tongli scenic area was already full of tourists at about 10 o’clock in the morning. Taking a stroll around the ancient town, the Polish guests paused from time to time to photograph the beautiful Jiangnan scenery characterized by antique buildings, little rivers, stone bridges, ancient trees, etc.
The group also took a boat trip to enjoy the fascinating landscape of Jiangnan water town. It’s an exciting experience to watch cormorants catching fish during the boat trip and the members of the group couldn’t help snapping photos of the black birds standing upright at the bow of the hand-rowed boat.
After the one-hour boat trip, the guests visited some of the stores in the ancient town, where they were charmed by traditional handicrafts such as Chinese knots, blue and white porcelain, rosewood chopsticks, and oil-paper umbrellas, which make perfect souvenirs and gifts for family and friends.
“We have visited many places during our trip in China and Tongli has impressed me so much,” said a manager of a Polish travel agency, adding that her company has been operating business in China and is going to bring more Polish tourists to Tongli.
As China continues to ease its visa-free transit policies, the scenic areas in Suzhou are welcoming a flood of overseas tourists filled with curiosity and excitement. Statistics show that the Tongli scenic area received 19,900 international tourists in the first quarter of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 36.9%. “We are stepping up our efforts to explore the Central and Eastern European markets. A diverse range of cultural tourism activities such as the Night Tour of the Tuisi Garden (the Retreat & Reflection Garden) and Pingtan performances are on offer, aiming to provide international tourists an immersive experience of the ancient water town,” said Jiang Mangmang, deputy general manager of Suzhou Tongli International Tourism Development Co., Ltd.
