Chongqing - On the evening of January 25, the slopes at Fairy Mountain International Ski Resort were still brightly lit as night skiing continued. Visitor Zhang Tao had just finished a run. "In the past, we came here mainly for sightseeing in winter," he said. "Now we come specifically to ski."
That shift captures a broader change underway in Chongqing Wulong District. Official data released in January 2026 show that in 2025, the district welcomed 52.105 million visits, up 10.29% year on year, while total tourism spending reached 25.104 billion yuan (about 3.61 billion USD), up 10.05%. The simultaneous rise in both visitor numbers and spending reflects a transformation from short, pass-through trips to longer, experience-driven stays.
Snow-covered scenery at Fairy Mountain in Wulong, Chongqing. (Photo/Wulong District)
Outdoor Events Drive Sustained Traffic
Wulong’s bond with outdoor sports dates back more than two decades. In 2002, experts surveying the Wujiang River area remarked that its mountains and rivers were "natural outdoor racecourses," a comment that helped spark the first international mountain outdoor challenge held locally in 2003.
By 2025, the 20th China International Mountain Outdoor Sports Open had become a global event, attracting teams from more than 70 countries and regions. Officials attribute its appeal to Wulong’s dramatic karst terrain, which offers demanding courses and distinctive scenery. Over 22 years, the event has become an international calling card for the destination.
The race routes have also brought opportunities to rural communities. In Jielong Township, where the course first passed, images shared by athletes online drew unexpected attention. The township soon launched its own trail races, which later earned points from the International Trail Running Association. During race periods, athletes from up to 18 provinces stayed in local villages, boosting agricultural product sales and prompting the opening of more than 20 new homestays and farm restaurants.
In Canggou Township, an outdoor sports town project launched in 2023 has built 50 kilometers of mountain trails and partnered with more than 200 outdoor organizations. From January to August 2025, sports-tourism visits in Wulong totaled 6.4 million, generating 2.7 billion yuan in related revenue.
Diversified Products Keep Visitors Longer
At Wulong's tourist service centers, the most common question has changed. "Visitors no longer ask simply what to play," said ticket clerk Xie Yinmei. "They ask which Pass card suits them best."
Since 2024, the district has rolled out 35 types of tourism Pass cards tailored to families, young travelers, and nearby residents, allowing access to multiple attractions at reduced prices. The results have been striking. A 19.9-yuan local residents' card drove local visitation growth at some sites by more than 600 percent, while a special Pass tied to the opening of the Chongqing–Xiamen high-speed railway lifted rail-to-tourism conversion rates by 30 percent.
At Fairy Mountain in Chongqing Wulong District, visitors enjoy leisure activities on the vast grassland. (Photo/Li Yuheng, Chongqing Daily)
In 2025, Wulong sold 234,900 Pass cards, serving nearly 495,200 card-holding visits and boosting ticketed visits to core attractions by 19.61 percent.
Winter tourism has also been upgraded. After heavy snowfall at the end of 2025, Fairy Mountain National Forest Park introduced more than 20 new snow-based activities, shifting from simple snow viewing to immersive winter experiences. New intermediate ski runs, night sessions, snowmobiles, and hot-air balloons expanded choices. "There's so much to do that one day isn’t enough," said a visitor.
Improved transport has reinforced the experience. The Chongqing–Xiamen high-speed railway has cut travel time from Chongqing East Railway Station to Wulong South to 39 minutes, while a helicopter service near the station can reach Fairy Mountain's grasslands in nine minutes—making it possible for tourists to step "from station to scenery" with ease.
From Stopover to Deep Travel
Product innovation has lengthened stays and widened spending. Guides note that attractions once considered secondary, such as Longshuixia Gorge, now receive more than 3,000 visitors a day, many of whom are pass-card holders adding stops to their itineraries.
Rural areas have become integral to deeper travel experiences. In Jingzhu Village, barista Ran Guangfang says skiers often drop in for coffee after a day on the slopes. Nearby, the teahouse owner, Wang Wanbi, introduces guests to traditional wax-dyeing techniques, while the villager, Wang Xiuying, has converted her farmhouse into a homestay and offers discounts to pass-card users. "I now host more than 20 groups a month," she said. "The income is better than farming."
Ran Guangfang prepares a cup of coffee. (Photo/Wulong District)
In the first half of 2025 alone, rural tourism in Wulong welcomed 17 million visits and generated 3.4 billion yuan, increasing incomes for more than 20,000 households.
Backed by international outdoor events, recognition as one of the world’s best tourism villages, and its status as part of the Wulong Karst, the district’s global profile has risen sharply. In 2025, overseas visits reached 778,800, up 216.2 percent year on year.
"Wulong combines spectacular landscapes with the warmth of village life," a local official said. "Our goal is to build a destination with international appeal, artistic character, and immersive experiences—turning a place people visit once into one they want to return to again and again."