China sees a new trend in booming cultural and tourism consumption

People visit a historical and cultural street in Xixiu district of Anshun city, southwest China’s Guizhou province, Oct. 2, 2024. (Photo by Chen Xi/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) — With neon lights twinkling in the night sky, a group of models dressed in colorful and intricately crafted ethnic minority costumes strolled down the runway, each step met with thunderous applause.

This intangible cultural heritage-themed fashion show is the first of its kind to be held on Qilou Old Street, a national historical and cultural street in Haikou, Hainan Province, southern China.

Both professional and amateur models were featured at the show, including Pan Yuzhen, a well-known inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Miao embroidery of the Miao ethnic group, in her seventies, who has graced the fashion stage in London and Paris.

“This is my first time in Haikou and I like it very much,” Pan said, adding that she was happy to have the opportunity to promote her people’s intangible cultural heritage.

The performance, which combined tradition with modernity, serves as a microcosm of how localities explored creative approaches to better meet increasing cultural and tourist demand during the National Day holiday ending earlier this week.

Official data showed that 765 million domestic trips were made during the just-ended holiday, up 5.9 percent year-on-year, with total tourist spending rising 6.3 percent to 700.8 billion yuan (about 99. 1 billion US dollars) increased.

People’s interest in traditional cultural attractions was reflected in the travel boom, with many flocking to historical sites during the holiday season. According to data from Didi Chuxing, a popular ride-hailing platform in China, demand for taxi services to tourist attractions such as ancient cities and towns increased by 111 percent during the week-long holiday compared to the pre-holiday period.

With several scenic locations featured in hit Chinese video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” northern China’s Shanxi Province has already seen a tourist boom ahead of the holiday season.

In response to the travel spike, local government and businesses increased efforts to provide better service to all visitors. “Many local temples that were inaccessible for hundreds of years are open to the public this time,” a travel vlogger said in her video on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

As treasure troves of history and culture, museums have become increasingly popular among Chinese people in recent years: in 2023, museums nationwide recorded 1.29 billion visitors, exceeding the numbers of previous years, data from Chinese authorities show.

Apart from the traditional hotspots, lesser-known cities and districts are also among the top travel destinations as more and more people, especially young people from top-class cities, prefer to spend their free time in less crowded areas.

Data from Ctrip, a leading online travel agency, showed that tourism orders to counties during the National Day holiday increased by 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

While visiting different places, many tourists picked up cultural and creative products as souvenirs of their travels, and more thoughtfully designed items began to enter the market.

This summer, a plush toy modeled after Roujiamo, sometimes called a “Chinese hamburger,” went viral among visitors to Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. The purchase was combined with learning how to prepare this local street food, which was hailed as a new, tempting experience. The toy has proven popular across the board, with more than 10,000 orders received within three months, and people as far away as New York and Sydney able to snap one up.

Such consumerism is evident in various cultural activities, including moviegoing, concerts, music festivals and sporting events, and many are willing to travel long distances for the experience.

Mo Zhenqi, from south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, brought his child to Rongjiang County, the birthplace of the Guizhou Village Super League, also known as “Cun Chao,” in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. They came to watch friendly matches with international players from countries like Brazil. He was “extremely excited” by the fierce competition on the field, the wonderful singing and dancing performances and the enthusiastic atmosphere.

Tourists like Mo boosted the county’s holiday economy, as nearly 500,000 trips to Rongjiang County took place during the holiday week, generating over 600 million yuan in tourism revenue, up nearly 22 percent year-on-year.

“The booming culture and tourism industry could play a more important role in improving the economy, boosting consumption and meeting people’s needs for a better life,” said Miao Muyang, an official at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Xian Jiangnan)