South Korean tourists pose for a photo in Huishan Ancient Town. [Photo/WeChat account: news-wuxixinwen]

Thirty-seven South Korean tourists arrived in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on an international cruise ship on March 3, kicking off their two-day tour of the city.

This is the first South Korean cruise group to arrive in Wuxi since China implemented a visa-free policy for South Korea in November last year.

The tourists explored attractions such as the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin Theme Park, Huishan Ancient Town, and Lingshan Mountain Scenic Area, experiencing the city's unique charm.

South Korean tourists taste Wuxi delicacies in Huishan Ancient Town. [Photo/WeChat account: news-wuxixinwen]

In Huishan Ancient Town, the tourists tasted the newly-launched cherry blossom xiaolongbao, or steamed stuffed buns, and cherry blossom braised spare ribs in brown sauce, immersing themselves in the city's sweetness.

Subsequently, they visited the famous Jiangnan-style Jichang Garden, where they witnessed the elegance of traditional Chinese garden architecture among pavilions, towers, artificial hills, and ponds.

In the northwest corner of Xishan Mountain, where a monument stands, they learned about the story of a South Korean official who survived a shipwreck in 1488 and was warmly welcomed by a then Wuxi county official with delicious food during a stopover in Wuxi on his journey back to Korea from Zhejiang.

The Wuxi municipal bureau of culture, broadcasting and tourism recently introduced measures to further promote the development of local cutural and tourism industry and provide stronger impetus for travel agencies to organize inbound tours.

Jin Xingshu, general manager of the International Exchange Department of Wuxi China International Travel Service Co, said that the company plans to arrange for over 2,000 South Korean tourists to visit Wuxi by cruise this year and organize youth study tours and cultural experiences for the elderly.