Flower-viewing tourism also features scenery, customs and local specialties. It's intended to enhance the popularity of Inner Mongolia from May to October.

Arxan's Rhododendron Festival is one of the first celebrations of this theme.

"It's an innovative approach to regional travel," tourism development committee director Deng Yiping explains.

"We're starting with rhododendrons as a medium to introduce Inner Mongolia's flower period to compensate for off-season lulls and create new peak-travel times."

The festival's opening ceremony was staged on the shores of Rhododendron Lake in the Arxan National Forest Park, which is a national 5A (top-level) destination.

Arxan has one of the country's largest forested areas per capita, local tour guide Zhang Huiqiu says.

Plant coverage is 95 percent. About 80 percent of the area hosts woodlands.