HEFEI — Leisure agriculture and rural tourism have helped generate many new jobs in East China's Anhui province, with 736,000 people employed in the first half of this year, authorities said.

From January to June, Anhui received 110 million tourists coming for its leisure agriculture industry, up 12.8 percent year-on-year. The industry generated 49 billion yuan (about $6.95 billion) in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 14.1 percent.

Of those employed, 580,000 were farmers, according to the provincial statistical department.

The provincial government held a series of activities to promote the reputation of its leisure agriculture and rural tourism, including selecting the best leisure farms and tourist routes, as well as hosting farming festivals.