Fireflies light up the Jiulong National Wetland Park. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Lishui city – located in East China's Zhejiang province – has unique environmental and ecological resources and excellent climatic conditions, which had led to it being one of the first pilot areas for the development of meteorological parks in China.

In order to fully leverage the advantages of its natural resources and boost its tourism industry, the city has established an online platform with a real time index that tells when it is the best period to go there to appreciate its flowers, fireflies and other natural delights.

"Now is the firefly season in the Jiulong National Wetland Park. We checked the index before we headed out to the park. We didn't expect to see so many fireflies. It was really breathtaking," said a visitor from Hangzhou. She and her family chose their travel dates based on the index.

"We use a specific algorithm to calculate an index that combines the weather, temperature and moon phase that affects the firefly activity. If the firefly index has five stars, it means it's a perfect time for firefly watching," explained a staff member from the Lishui weather bureau.

The flower and cloud indexes also provide scientific and precise reference points for tourists.

"In the past, taking pictures of the clouds over the Yunhe terrace fields depended on experience and luck. There were many uncertainties. Now with the cloud index, it's much more accurate and convenient to take ideal photos," said Lan Yongfa, a photographer.