People are shopping for New Year decorations in Beibei, Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)
Chongqing - In 2025, Sichuan and Chongqing saw strong consumer growth, with combined retail sales topping 4.5 trillion yuan (about $648 billion), up 6.34% year on year and accounting for about 9% of the national total. The two regions worked together to build an international consumption destination by upgrading consumption scenarios, attracting flagship stores, improving entry services and strengthening cross-border logistics.
By 2027, Sichuan and Chongqing will organize over 2,300 high-level launch events, introduce more than 2,200 premium flagship stores, and welcome over 4 million inbound tourists.
Consumer-side initiatives focus on enhancing high-quality experiential offerings. By the end of 2025, Sichuan and Chongqing had upgraded 65 new consumption venues, including landmarks such as Chongqing’s 18 Steps, also known as Shibati, the Jiefangbei-Chaotianmen business district, and Chengdu’s Kuanzhai Alley. While preserving urban character and cultural heritage, the upgrades also improved modern conveniences and better served nighttime and international visitors.
“Before, our small shop only served locals. Now we get many out-of-town tourists daily, and during holidays, customers even queue for seats,” said Wang, owner of a 15-year-old noodle shop near Chongqing's Shibati.
Nighttime scenarios drive consumption growth more prominently. By the end of 2025, nighttime traffic in Chongqing's Jiefangbei business district had peaked at over one million visitors, with dining options like noodles and hotpot accounting for over 60% of nighttime spending.
The economy of the flagship store represents another key driver of supply upgrades in consumption. In 2025, Chengdu and Chongqing attracted over 90% of internationally and domestically renowned brands, achieving a brand penetration rate of 95%. These exclusive launches have elevated Chengdu and Chongqing's role as trend-setters in Southwest China.
Inbound tourist spending rose thanks to streamlined policies and cross-city travel packages.
“Sipping gaiwan tea in Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley in the morning, taking the high-speed rail to Chongqing's Shibati for hotpot in the afternoon, then catching the nighttime light show at Hongyadong, the 240-hour transit visa exemption is incredibly convenient!” Lin Junyi, a tourist from Malaysia, shared his dual-city itinerary.
Leveraging the 240-hour transit visa exemption, both cities launched 20 premium tourism routes and piloted customs clearance models for “Chongqing entry-Chengdu exit” and “Chengdu entry-Chongqing exit” itineraries. By the first half of 2025, passenger volume under this policy had nearly doubled year-on-year.
Developing international consumption destinations requires robust transportation and logistics infrastructure. By 2025, Chongqing's freight volume via the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor had grown 30% year-on-year. Cross-border transit times continued to shrink, with Southeast Asian fruits reaching Chengdu-Chongqing supermarkets in as little as 48 hours.
Chongqing and Sichuan share an integrated commercial cooperation that facilitates both exporting products overseas and enhancing regional distribution.
Pickles from Fuling, Chongqing, and Meishan, Sichuan, are produced in collaboration, with products sold in over 80 countries and regions. Chengdu and Chongqing jointly established a pickle export base, ranking first nationally in full-industry-chain export volume. Lemons from Tongnan, Chongqing, and Suining, Sichuan jointly enjoy a processing and trade base, exporting from fresh fruit to essential oils and beverages.
In 2025, the two regions jointly hosted a conference on agricultural wholesale, which facilitated the signing of nine agricultural cooperation projects. A staff member from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce recalled: “Before last year's Spring Festival, we immediately activated the joint supply, transporting 500 tons of fresh vegetables from Chongqing. Within 24 hours, they were on the tables of Chengdu residents.”