Camping has become a popular pursuit for young people to experience the natural beauty of Lishui. [Photo/WeChat account: ls-mnews]

Consumer spending boomed in Lishui city – located in East China's Zhejiang province – during the seven-day National Day holiday starting on Oct 1, according to local media reports.

With people unleashing strong demand for traveling – suppressed during summer due to the  COVID-19 outbreak – Lishui's key tourist areas received a total of 3.1 million tourists on Oct 1-7. Total cultural and tourism spending during the period hit an estimated 1.56 billion yuan ($241.64 million).

Lishui reportedly became a popular gathering place for young families to camp out during the break. Camping, picnics and stargazing and other outdoors activities have become new trends for young people to experience the natural beauty of the region.

Self-driving tours also reportedly emerged as a popular way for people to visit Lishui during the break, which also boosted the economies of rural areas.