From Travel to Living: How Chongqing Fits into China’s Long-Stay Trend

Chongqing - At a small Bouyei ethnic village tucked inside Qingyan Town in southwest China's Guizhou Province, nearly every courtyard tells a story. One hosts a dyeing workshop, another a silversmith studio, while others showcase traditional brewing, painting and handicrafts.

It's a compact village—but one that receives more than 200,000 visits a year. In summer, its homestays are almost always fully booked, often by guests who stay not for a night or two, but for weeks. For a municipality like Chongqing, such cases offer tangible models for rural revitalization and cultural tourism.

This is not traditional tourism. It is part of a fast-growing trend in China known as long-stay travel—a model that blends travel with temporary residence, daily life and deeper cultural immersion.

From Quick Visits to Staying Put

If traditional tourism is about ticking off sights, long-stay travel is about slowing down.

That shift was front and center at the recent Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Conference, held from March 29 to 31 in Guiyang. Alongside discussions on integrating culture, tourism, and sports, one theme stood out: how to build destinations where visitors don’t just pass through—but settle in, even temporarily. This focus on "settling in" is equally relevant for Chongqing as it evolves its tourism strategy.

For many, the appeal is simple. Open a window, and instead of traffic noise, you're greeted by a cool 16°C breeze, mountains within reach and the scent of soil and greenery.

Others come for shorter—but still extended—stays. Chen Hao, a visitor from Guangzhou, spent half a month in a Miao village near the Huangguoshu scenic area. Instead of rushing through attractions, he joined local guides for daily hikes.

"The mountains here are not too high, not too low. You don’t feel tired, but everywhere is green," he said. "Even after a full day of walking, you still feel refreshed."

Data underscores the trend. In 2025 alone, Guizhou recorded 2.38 million long-stay visits that remained for more than 15 days, with nearly 70 percent staying between two weeks and a month. The group spans both young professionals and retirees.

Across China, provinces such as Yunnan, Guangxi and Hainan are also investing heavily in the long-stay travel sector, attracting people not just for vacations, but for a different way of life. This national trend presents both a benchmark and an opportunity for Chongqing.

A Trillion-Yuan Market for Long-Stay Travel

Behind the lifestyle appeal lies a rapidly expanding market.

According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy, the country's long-stay travel market could reach nearly 3 trillion yuan (about 400 billion USD), with potential demand from up to 600 million people. Defined by longer stays and deeper engagement, it is emerging as a new bridge between tourism and everyday life.

The drivers are both demographic and cultural. China's population aged 60 and above now exceeds 320 million, while younger groups—including digital nomads—are increasingly seeking flexible, experience-driven lifestyles.

As a result, tourism is shifting from short-term visits to longer, lifestyle-oriented stays. Travelers are staying longer, spending more and prioritizing experiences over sightseeing. The industry itself is evolving beyond traditional attractions toward wellness, culture, education and community-based offerings.

The economic impact is significant. Long-stay travelers are driving demand for housing, rentals, healthcare services and daily consumption. In destinations such as Sanya, seasonal "migratory residents" contribute billions of yuan annually. They also bring knowledge, networks and new ideas, contributing to local development.

Notably, this trend is no longer dominated by retirees. People aged 20 to 40 now account for around 60 percent of long-stay travelers, reflecting a broader pursuit of work-life balance and a more meaningful lifestyle.

What Chongqing Can Learn

For Chongqing, the message is clear: getting visitors to stay matters more than simply attracting them.

Like neighboring Guizhou, Chongqing has strong natural advantages. Its southeastern and northeastern regions feature mild summers, high forest coverage and fresh air—often described as a "natural air conditioner" and "ecological oxygen bar," making them ideal for long-term stays. These areas hold significant potential to develop into competitive long-stay destinations, mirroring the success seen in Guizhou's villages.

The city is also known as a "World Hot Springs Capital," with a growing health and wellness ecosystem that combines forest therapy, hot spring treatments and traditional dietary practices. In southeastern Chongqing, rich ethnic cultures further enhance the experience, offering visitors not just scenery but a sense of belonging.

Guizhou’s approach offers valuable lessons. At the recent conference, officials outlined measures such as optimizing land supply for tourism housing, repurposing underused properties, introducing financial support policies and improving long-term service systems.

Equally important is product design. Successful destinations are tailoring offerings to different groups—summer escape seekers, wellness travelers and culture enthusiasts—while integrating accommodation, activities and community life.

Experts say the future of tourism lies in creating spaces where visitors and locals share resources and experiences. This includes better public services, inclusive governance and the development of diversified "tourism+" models, such as healthcare, education and culinary experiences.

For Chongqing, already a major tourism hub, the next step may not be attracting more visitors—but encouraging them to stay longer, live more deeply and return more often.

In an era when travel is no longer just about seeing the world, but about living in it—if only for a while, cities that can offer both experience and belonging may hold the winning formula.