Chongqing - Chongqing's total tourism revenue during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday reached 4.123 billion yuan (580.7 million U.S. dollars), increased by 17.9% year on year, according to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development on June 10.

During the holiday, Chongqing's cultural tourism market experienced outstanding success, while the consumer market also flourished. Data showed that consumer spending in the city during this period rose by 3.3% compared to the previous year.

Visitors at Grandma Bear's Garden immersed themselves in the festive spirit by making zongzi, enjoying the rich traditional customs and celebrations. (Photo/Liu Li from Visual Chongqing)

Despite the rainy weather during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, tourists' enthusiasm remained unwavering. Statistics reveal that Chongqing welcomed a total of 7.0144 million domestic tourists during the holiday, marking a 9.5% year-on-year increase.

Key tourist attractions reported 2.238 million visitors, an increase of 10.7%. Ciqikou Ancient Town and Hongyadong attracted 238,000 and 231,000 tourists, respectively, securing the top two spots in popularity among urban scenic locations. The Wulong Karst region drew 129,000 visitors, the highest among 5A tourist attractions.

Visitors watch the Sichuan opera fire-breathing performance at Xiliutuo Ancient Town. (Photo/Zhong Zhibing from Chongqing Daily)

During the holiday, Chongqing organized 156 traditional cultural experience activities, a 6% year-on-year increase, and drew over 580,000 participants, a 33% year-on-year rise. Dragon boat racing was a major highlight, featuring events such as the "Dazu Rock Carvings Cup," the Chengdu-Chongqing Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament, and the Tongliang Anju Ancient Town Dragon Boat Festival, which captivated large audiences. Nighttime fire dragon dance performances, Hanfu parades, and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions garnered significant tourist attention.

This year, there was a surge in demand for short-distance travel and folk experience tours during the Dragon Boat Festival. The deep immersion in festival folk culture through new Chinese-style travel continued to captivate visitors, unleashing significant consumption potential. Numerous scenic spots hosted hundreds of cultural tourism activities themed around the "zongzi" (rice dumpling), including dragon boat racing, zongzi making, sachet crafting, and folk customs appreciation, allowing residents and tourists to fully engage in traditional cultural charm and establishing new Chinese-style consumption hotspots.

Visitors enjoy cooling off with water-themed activities at Happy Valley. (Photo/Liu Li from Visual Chongqing)

As temperatures soared, Chongqing entered the prime season for summer water activities. These water-themed events, launched by various districts and counties, have garnered tremendous popularity.

During the holiday, Chongqing's 43 public libraries and 41 cultural centers, all freely accessible to the public, welcomed 297,000 visitors and provided online services to 961,000 users. The city hosted a total of 250 mass cultural activities, attracting 781,100 participants. Additionally, 16 public art galleries launched 17 themed exhibitions, showcasing nearly 3,324 artworks. The city's museums and memorials introduced 56 temporary exhibitions and 75 educational activities, drawing 354,500 residents and tourists to experience the allure of traditional Chinese culture.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, the Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute held multiple art exhibitions, attracting many visitors who came to experience the charm of art. (Photo/Sun Kaifang from Chongqing Daily)