Chongqing - On a myriad of online travel platforms, an array of tailor-made packages and itineraries have emerged for the 8-day Spring Festival, often referred to as the "super golden week." This development coincides with the impending permanent mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand, heralding a robust start to the new year in the cultural and tourism sectors.
In the recently published 2023 Tourism Economy Review and 2024 Outlook, issued by the China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism), President Dai Bin anticipates a flourishing epoch for domestic tourism and national leisure in 2024. He emphasized the critical role of Chengdu and Chongqing, along with the Yangtze River Delta and other key regions, in spearheading the advancement of the tourism economy.
Tourist Traffic (blue line) and Revenue Trends (orange line) During Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Holidays, 2019-2023
Reflecting on the domestic tourism market in 2023, Dai Bin noted a vigorous commencement and swift resurgence. The year marked a gradual revitalization of the inbound and outbound tourism supply chain, coupled with sustained quantitative growth and qualitative enhancements in the tourism sector. Statistics from 2023 revealed that the quarterly travel intentions of residents consistently exceeded 90%, averaging an unprecedented 91.86% annually, a record high since the inception of monitoring and an increase of 4.52 percentage points from 2019.
Analysis of Travel Distance Radii (orange line) and Recreation Distance Radii (blue line) During Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Holidays from 2020 to 2023 (Photo/China Tourism Academy)
Analyzing the geographic distribution in 2023, premier and emerging first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Nanjing have showcased remarkable progress. These cities have benefitted from upgraded infrastructure, enhanced public services, and improved business environments. Moreover, their increasing prominence and appeal, bolstered by major events and festivals, have positioned them at the forefront of the recovery phase.
The International Light and Shadow Art Festival in Chongqing (Photo/Visual Chongqing)
Synthesizing prevailing travel patterns, Dai Bin emphasized the enduring significance of the urban tourism nexus within urban landscapes, encapsulating tourist hotspots, resort areas, neighborhood blocks, and business districts as the crux of tourism spaces. He underscored the importance of holidays, particularly the Spring Festival, Labor Day, and National Day, as pivotal periods for gauging the dynamics of the tourism economy. Dai Bin noted that seasonal trends, such as summer educational tours, retreats for relaxation, health and wellness getaways, winter escapes, and ice and snow experiences, have emerged as distinct consumer preferences, catalyzing the evolution of new tourism genres. Additionally, he highlighted the growing relevance of weekend and short-haul travel, suggesting these trends are instrumental in shaping the future landscape of tourism.
A Sichuan Opera performance of Face-changing and fire-breathing (Photo/Liu Li)
From a regional vantage point, Dai Bin highlighted that in the upcoming year, key areas like the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the Chengdu-Chongqing corridor will continue to be instrumental as primary tourist sources, destinations, and transit hubs. These regions are expected to play a crucial role in ushering in a thriving era for the tourism economy.
Particular attention is being paid to the Chengdu-Chongqing region, where developing the Chengdu-Chongqing Cultural Tourism Corridor is a primary objective. As per the outcomes of the seventh joint meeting of the special working group dedicated to this project, Sichuan and Chongqing are set to intensify their efforts in 2024 across eight distinct areas. This initiative aims to deepen and solidify the progress of the Ba-Shu Cultural Tourism Corridor.
Tianfu Feiteng Town in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province (Photo/Qin Tingfu)
A significant aspect of this initiative is the collaborative creation of a cultural tourism belt. The cultural and tourism departments of Sichuan and Chongqing have concurred on establishing a cooperative framework centered on the Chengdu-Chongqing axis. This plan involves engaging various cities, districts, and counties along the route to collaboratively introduce themed routes and enhance the prominence of the Chengdu-Chongqing ancient road brand.
During the joint meeting, key cultural and tourism entities from Neijiang and Ziyang in Sichuan Province, along with Yongchuan, Dazu, Bishan, Tongliang, and Rongchang districts in Chongqing, formalized their collaboration through the Chengdu-Chongqing Ancient Road Cultural Tourism Regional Collaboration Memorandum. This agreement marks a concerted effort towards research in cultural heritage protection, the enhancement of public cultural services, upgrading cultural tourism facilities, developing tourism products, crafting a unified brand image, and establishing effective developmental mechanisms. This marks a significant initial stride in the collaborative endeavor to develop the Chengdu-Chongqing ancient road as a distinguished cultural tourism belt.
Furthermore, an official from the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development highlighted their commitment to align with the evolving dynamics of the cultural and tourism market in 2024. This initiative aims to spur innovation in cultural and tourism consumption patterns, enrich urban and rural leisure experiences, and nurture emerging trends such as gourmet tourism, CityWalks, camping adventures, intangible cultural heritage study tours, industrial tourism, seasonal tourism experiences, exhibition events, and the popularity of local products.