Chongqing - The 2025 Chongqing-Singapore Experience Week, a vibrant celebration of Singaporean culture, food, and business, concluded successfully on October 2nd after a four-day run in Chongqing's bustling Guanyinqiao commercial district.
The experience week transformed the heart of Chongqing into a microcosmic Singapore, allowing citizens to immerse themselves in the Lion City's charm without boarding a plane.
A Feast for the Senses
The event was structured around four main sections: a Singapore brand exhibition, a hawker food bazaar, a cultural travel interaction zone, and a stage for cultural performances.
The hawker food bazaar emerged as the event's biggest crowd-puller.
Twelve food stalls offered authentic local delights, from sizzling satay skewers to rich laksa and the simple perfection of Hainanese chicken rice.
The aromatic dishes provided a direct gateway to Singapore's diverse food culture, including the very set recommended by Singaporean singer JJ Lin: Kaya Butter Toast and Coffee.
At the brand exhibition, 14 renowned Singaporean companies, including Singapore Airlines, CapitaLand, and OSIM, showcased a range of products from household goods and health supplements to fashion and lifestyle items.
For many of these brands, the event was a valuable opportunity to connect directly with Chongqing consumers and explore potential partnerships in the local market.
Immersive Interactions and Cultural Beats
Beyond shopping and eating, the experience week offered deep cultural immersion.
The cultural travel interaction zone allowed visitors to "check in" at replicas of Singapore's iconic landmarks and participate in traditional games.
The stage came alive with performances, including a particularly eye-catching Peranakan fashion show, which consistently drew large crowds of spectators.
One of the most resonant aspects of the event was the spontaneous conversations that sprang up between Singaporean exhibitors and Chongqing visitors.
Discussions flowed from local delicacies and city life to the upcoming F1 Singapore Grand Prix, building a real sense of connection between people from different places.
A Two-Way Street of Cultural Exchange
The Chongqing-Singapore Experience Week is part of a larger, bidirectional cultural exchange. This past June, Chongqing held a "Chongqing Week" in Singapore, where the city's hot pot, noodles, and other local specialties were enthusiastically received by Singaporean residents. This "two-week" model, which began in 2022, has become a signature event for the China-Singapore project.
This vibrant cultural bridge is yielding tangible results. In 2024, Singaporean overnight visitors to Chongqing hit 86,000, a staggering increase of 467.7% year-on-year, placing Singapore among the top five source of inbound tourists for the municipality. Furthermore, flight frequency between the two cities has increased, with the route becoming Chongqing's densest international air link by the end of last year.
