The Double Seventh Festival, sometimes called the Chinese Valentine's Day, is days away and businessmen in east China’s Jiangsu province are trying to do everything possible to boost sales to make the day infused with romance.
More and more young people have shown preference over the Chinese traditional day for romance, as has been justified by the booming flower sales.
Sales promotions have been launched well in advance before the arrival of this year’s Double Seventh Festival celebrations. Flowers have turned out to be in great demand these days as many flower shops have got busy coping with rising orders for roses and other flowers that stand for harmony and love.
One flower shop in Lianyungang city has reportedly received more orders for fresh flowers one week in advance.
The prices of roses have been surging recently to cope with the surging demand for roses in the name of romance.
Gift shops are also bracing for booming sales as more and more people have flocked to choose their favorite items. Gifts standing for the everlasting love have turned out to be the most sought-after, said the owner of a gift shop.
The tourism market is also heated up with varied tour routes being promoted to attract the lovebirds.
Many lovebirds are visiting the local travel agencies to inquire about the romance-themed tours on the very day of the festival. Major destinations of travel include Lijiang city in Yunnan province, Sanya city in Hainan Province, Xiamen city in Fujian Province and the prairie in north China.
China's Qixi Festival on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is based on an ill-fated love story involving a cowherd and a fairy seamstress.
Niulang, the cowherd, and Zhinv, the fairy, fell in love and later ascended to the heavens becoming two stars separated by the galaxy.
They could only meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, when thousands of magpies form a bridge to allow them to cross the galaxy.
