Suzhou Tourism is launching its new social media campaign – “A Virtual Look at Suzhou: Home to Culture, Canals, Cuisine and Craft” – to directly target North American travelers, a move that also marks the debut of the destination’s Instagram and YouTube accounts.

Utilizing core engagement tactics over the next five months, Suzhou Tourism will implement an overall social media strategy that includes an online sweepstakes, monthly giveaways, content creation, consumer engagement, and influencer marketing, with a goal of increasing visibility and awareness for the destination among various digital and social media platforms, specifically its website,  TravelToSuzhou.com, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Suzhou Tourism’s enhanced presence across social media is timed to leverage the momentum surrounding U.S.-China Tourism Year for 2016, ensuring that stories of the city’s unique programming are communicated directly to key audiences, positioning it as a “must-see” destination for travelers who may be considering a trip to China. This campaign builds off an initial social media push for North American travelers, which took place last year and entailed a blogger media tour in Suzhou, social media advertising, and 18 consumers winning the opportunity to visit Suzhou and more.

As an increasingly popular destination for North American travelers, Suzhou is continually expanding its infrastructure, including four new hotels opening within the past six months. In addition, its closest international airport, Pudong International Airport (PVG), has received an increase in flights from North American by airlines such as American Airlines, China Eastern and Hainan Airlines, providing seamless access to the city.