Chongqing — The karst landscapes, a long-running international outdoor race, and easier travel services are drawing record numbers of overseas tourists to Chongqing’s Wulong.
A 27-member group from Indonesia's TWG club goes on a countryside bike ride in Chongqing Wulong's Fairy Mountain. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
On Oct. 2, the traditional chants of Chuanjiang Haozi, work songs of boat trackers in Chongqing, echoed off the cliffs of the Three Natural Bridges scenic area in Wulong, Chongqing. An Irish tourist on his first trip to China filmed the performance on his phone.
"The scenery here is stunning," he said. "The karst landscape is spectacular, and the performers were down-to-earth and engaging. It gave us a better understanding of Chongqing's local culture."
The Irish man was one of many foreign visitors in Wulong this National Day holiday. The district received 778,900 inbound visits in the first three quarters of 2026, up 81.66 percent year on year, according to the Wulong District's Commission of Culture and Tourism Development. That figure already exceeds the 778,800 inbound visits it received in all of 2025.
What draws them in?
For many international athletes, their first encounter with Wulong was the China International Mountain Outdoor Sports Open. Wulong began hosting the race in 2003, before outdoor sports became popular in China.
This year's 21st edition began on Sept. 19. Forty-one teams from China and abroad covered 224 kilometers over four days, crossing karst peaks, the Wujiang River and alpine meadows.
French athlete Myriam Guillot first competed in Wulong in 2006 and has returned every year since. "I keep coming back because I fell in love with Wulong's mountains and rivers the first time," she said. "Twenty years on, the environment is still well protected. Every race here is a joy."
Guillot has donated part of her prize money to local tree planting and shares Wulong's scenery on overseas social media. "My friends call me an ambassador for Chinese culture," she said.
The race has attracted more than 2,000 athletes from over 450 teams, representing more than 70 countries and regions, said Liu Jinsi, director of the Commission of Culture and Tourism Development in Wulong District. Athletes post about their experiences online, which brings in new visitors.
Wulong's global profile grew further in 2007, when the Three Natural Bridges, Furong Cave and Houping Giant Doline were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the South China Karst site. Films including Curse of the Golden Flower and Transformers: Age of Extinction were later shot there.
"Sports events, natural heritage and films have long been our three main draws," Liu said.
Reaching out, smoothing the way
"Overseas markets don't come to you on their own," Liu said. Wulong has signed agreements with 33 inbound travel agencies and held more than 10 promotional events in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, France and elsewhere. "When we show images of the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain at overseas expos, travel agents crowd around asking how to add Wulong to their routes."
Thai tourists take a photo at a scenic area in Chongqing Wulong. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
The number of countries and regions sending visitors to Wulong has grown from 10 in 2023 to 70 as of September. Thailand is the largest source market, with more than 100,000 Thai visits between January and July. Arrivals from Britain, Russia and other European markets are also rising quickly.
To make visits smoother, core scenic areas such as Fairy Mountain now offer easier payment services, multilingual help desks, bilingual staff and AI translation screens. The ticketing app also provides guides in six languages. "Whether visitors need directions, want to shop or run into trouble, there's help available," Liu said. "All they need to do is enjoy the scenery."
Spreading visitors beyond the hotspots
Most foreign visitors still head to the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain. Wulong now wants them to explore more of the district.
Jingzhu Village, next to the World Heritage site, was named one of the UN World Tourism Organization's Best Tourism Villages in 2022 and is drawing more foreign visitors. A trail race at Zhaoyun Mountain in Dadonghe Township has attracted runners from Hungary, Britain and other countries. Canggou Township is developing an international outdoor sports town, with bilingual trail signs and a visitor center already taking shape.
Chongqing Wulong's booth at the NATAS Travel Fair in Singapore this spring. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
In July, Wulong hosted the launch of two tourism alliances, one along the Wujiang River and one linking famous mountains along the 30th parallel north, including Mount Emei and Zhangjiajie. Members will share ticket discounts and promote each other's visitors, with the aim of making Wulong a hub for inbound travel across the Wuling Mountains and beyond.
A district official said inbound visitors bring spending on hotels, restaurants, shopping and transport, not just ticket revenue. "The next step for inbound tourism is to expand from the core scenic areas to the whole district," the official said.
By 2030, Wulong aims for tourism to account for about 12 percent of its GDP, with more than 12 million ticketed visits and over 1 million inbound visitors a year.