Chongqing — On a rainy afternoon at Antao Pottery Town in Chongqing’s Rongchang District, visitors sought shelter indoors, where pottery wheels continued spinning despite the weather.

Children carefully shaped bowls and plates from clay while parents photographed the experience. For many families, the attraction was not simply sightseeing but the chance to participate in a tradition that has been part of the region’s identity for centuries.

"The childhood of a child only happens once," said Jiang Zhizhong, a visitor from Chongqing’s Nan’an District. "Experiencing local culture is more meaningful than simply eating and shopping."

Children try pottery-making in Antao Town, Rongchang District, Chongqing. (Photo/Interviewee)

Across Chongqing, a growing number of characteristic towns are transforming their signature industries into immersive tourism experiences, creating new sources of income while supporting rural revitalization and urban-rural integration.

During the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday, rainy weather did little to dampen visitor enthusiasm. Antao Pottery Town, known for its centuries-old Rongchang Pottery tradition, welcomed nearly 20,000 tourists. In Longshui Town of Dazu District, visitors extended their trips to the nearby UNESCO-listed Dazu Rock Carvings to explore the town’s hardware industry and traditional forging culture. In Guanmian Township of Kaizhou District, flowering landscapes and mountain scenery attracted travelers, leaving local guesthouses fully booked.

The trend reflects a broader shift in how many of China’s characteristic towns are developing. Rather than focusing solely on manufacturing products or agricultural goods, they are increasingly creating experiences that allow visitors to engage directly with local industries, traditions and lifestyles.

Many of Chongqing’s characteristic towns have long-established industrial identities.

Longshui Town is home to one of southwest China’s largest hardware production and trading hubs. Its hardware market spans more than 32,000 square meters and includes more than 1,500 storefronts and approximately 4,500 stalls selling knives, scissors, cookware, agricultural tools and other products.

"Even a full day may not be enough to see everything," said Hu Yun, a publicity official in Longshui Town.

According to local authorities, the hardware industry accounts for more than 10 percent of the town’s industrial output and employment. Longshui has earned national recognition as a major center for hardware manufacturing and forged knives and scissors.

Elsewhere, Guanmian Township cultivates more than 30,000 mu (about 2,000 hectares) of muxiang, a medicinal herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, producing roughly 40 percent of China’s annual output. Qingping Town in Hechuan District has become one of southwest China’s leading bases for household glass manufacturing, while Rongchang is home to one of China’s best-known pottery traditions.

“What sets these towns apart is their distinctive industry,” said Xiang Pengcheng, a professor of urban economics at Chongqing University. “That uniqueness becomes the driving force behind its development.”

According to Xiang, agricultural specialty towns often build on local ecological advantages and specialty crops, while manufacturing towns develop around industrial clusters, skilled labor and established supply chains.

What is changing is not the industries themselves but how visitors experience them.

In Guanmian Township, tourists can visit an exhibition center dedicated to medicinal herbs from the Qinba mountain region and learn about the cultivation and history of local medicinal plants. They can also make incense plaques using powdered muxiang under the guidance of local instructors.

Students learn to make traditional scented handicrafts in Guanmian Township, Kaizhou District, Chongqing. (Photo/Interviewee)

After completing the workshop, visitors often sample herbal dishes made with local ingredients while waiting for their handcrafted products to be finished.

Chen Wei, chairman of Shuyuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology (Chongqing) Co., Ltd., has transferred more than 500 mu (about 33 hectares) of land to cultivate muxiang. Recognizing the tourism potential of the area’s cool summer climate, he expanded beyond farming to create educational and cultural experiences centered on the herb.

While the plant’s roots are used in traditional medicine, stems and leaves that were once discarded are now processed into incense products, sachets and souvenirs. The relatively simple production process makes it well suited for hands-on tourist activities.

As a result, what was once considered the agricultural off-season has become one of the township’s busiest periods. Local residents provide accommodations, catering and handicraft services for summer visitors, generating additional income for rural households.

Manufacturing towns are also exploring ways to turn industrial heritage into visitor attractions.

In Longshui Town, tourists can watch master craftsmen forge traditional knives at a museum operated by Deng Family Knives, one of the area's best-known knife manufacturers.

A master craftsman forges Deng Family Knives in an intangible cultural heritage experience area in Dazu District, Chongqing, as visitors stop to take photos. (Photo/Interviewee)

As red-hot steel is hammered into shape, sparks fly through the air while visitors gather to photograph the process. Under the supervision of experienced craftsmen, tourists can also try forging metal themselves, gaining firsthand appreciation for the skill and labor involved.

The experience often translates into product sales and increased brand recognition as visitors share photos and videos online.

Other manufacturing centers are pursuing similar strategies. Qingping Town plans to develop a modern glass museum and research facilities that combine industrial tourism, craft experiences and product exhibitions. In Qijiang District, plans are underway for an industrial museum highlighting the region’s manufacturing heritage.

Workers operate in the production workshop of Yuanling Glass Factory in Qingping Town, Hechuan District, Chongqing. (Photo/Luo Yun)

Researchers and local officials say the next challenge is ensuring that tourism growth translates into sustainable development.

Some industrial tourism projects have struggled because they lack professionals capable of combining industry expertise, cultural storytelling and tourism management. Others have invested heavily in museums and attractions but failed to communicate the craftsmanship, innovation and history behind local industries.

“Characteristic towns should focus on integrating industry, urban development, people and culture,” said Xiang Pengcheng, a professor of urban economics at Chongqing University.

He said strong industries must remain the foundation of development. On that basis, towns can build distinctive tourism brands by preserving industrial heritage, highlighting craftsmanship and creating immersive visitor experiences.

Rather than relying on large-scale construction projects, successful development often depends on presenting traditional industries in new ways. Interactive workshops, cultural markets, heritage experiences and community gathering spaces can help extend visitor stays and encourage spending.

Experts also recommend introducing professional tourism operators, establishing town-level management companies and creating benefit-sharing mechanisms that allow residents to participate directly in tourism-related businesses such as homestays, restaurants and educational programs.

As Chongqing’s characteristic towns continue to experiment with new models, they are demonstrating how traditional industries can become tourism attractions, generating new opportunities for local communities while preserving the cultural and economic foundations that made those towns distinctive in the first place.