Zhejiang - The Yangtze River Delta welcomed over 120 million visitors during China's 2026 National Day holiday, with total tourism spending exceeding 110 billion yuan (approximately $16.3 billion), according to data compiled from provincial and municipal authorities. The seven-day holiday, which concluded on October 7, saw the region's tourism sector increasingly driven by experience-based consumption, from visitors starring in their own short dramas to international tourists tracing the footsteps of their favorite Chinese TV series.

Oct. 2: Tourists visit the Slender West Lake Scenic Area in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. (Photo/Chen Yehua)

Jiangsu Leads with Record-Breaking Numbers

Jiangsu Province recorded the highest visitor volume in the region, welcoming 48.45 million visitors who spent 49 billion yuan ($7.3 billion) over the seven-day holiday period, according to the Jiangsu Smart Tourism Platform. Average daily figures rose 3.39% and 2.37% respectively compared to the 2025 National Day holiday, which spanned eight days. Out-of-province visitors accounted for 48.18% of the total, up 2.05 percentage points from last year, with major source markets including Shanghai, Shandong, Zhejiang, Anhui and Henan.

Oct. 4: Qinhu National Wetland Park in Jiangsu Province attracts many visitors. (Photo/Deng Nan)

Performing arts emerged as a major draw. Nanjing's Tangshan Music Valley hosted seven consecutive major concerts, attracting 280,000 live audience members and driving 880,000 visitors to the surrounding area, a 46.7% year-on-year increase, generating 280 million yuan ($41.6 million) in tourism revenue, up 66.7%. Across the province, 910 commercial performances drew 441,700 attendees and generated 328 million yuan ($48.7 million) in ticket sales, up 3.8% year on year.

Hengdian's Immersive Model Goes Global

The standout story of the holiday emerged from Hengdian World Studios in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, the world's largest film and television production base, often dubbed "China's Hollywood." The studio reported a 245% year-on-year increase in international visitors during the first three quarters of 2026.

The surge reflects a growing global appetite for Chinese screen content. "I've watched many Chinese period dramas, and many of them were filmed here, so I was very interested in this place," said international visitor Li Yong, who donned traditional Chinese attire for a video shoot at the studio.

Oct. 3: An NPC poses for a photo with tourists from Nepal. (Photo/Liu Zilin)

Joanna from Poland traced her visit directly to her viewing habits: "I came to Hengdian because I really like the TV drama "Pursuit of Jade (Zhu Yu)," and Hengdian is one of its filming locations. There are so many scenes and buildings I've seen in Chinese dramas, so it's wonderful to see them in real life."

The studio's "Shoot Your Own Short Drama" experience has become a flagship offering, with the National Day holiday package priced at 549 yuan (approximately $81), including park admission, filming, makeup and costume services, and a personalized short drama delivered within hours. During peak holiday periods, daily bookings reached 70 to 80 groups, with the Ming-Qing Palace Park alone receiving approximately 80 groups per day and peak days exceeding 100. The studio expanded its short drama experience sets to 15 locations across multiple parks to accommodate demand.

Beyond the film sets, Hengdian has extended its immersive offerings to hotels, where guests participate in red-carpet opening ceremonies and receive actor call sheets tied to classic IPs such as Mystic Nine and The Story of a Noble Family.

Nighttime Economy and Tech Innovation Add Momentum

Nighttime cultural consumption continued to surge across the region. Jiangsu's nighttime cultural tourism consumption clusters welcomed 13.67 million visitors and generated 3.8 billion yuan ($564 million) in spending during the first six days of the holiday. The province's 74 museums extended evening hours, launching nearly 200 new exhibitions.

Oct. 2: A National Day-themed drone show is held in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, drawing many spectators. (Photo/Xu Congjun)

In Zhejiang, Hangzhou released its "Top 20 New Tech Tourism Landmarks," covering embodied intelligence, low-altitude economy and AIGC film production. At Yunhe Terraces in Lishui, the country's first scenic-area AI short drama customization center opened, allowing visitors to receive a personalized short drama set against the terraced landscape within one hour.

Shanghai launched two immersive technology-driven theatrical experiences, New World: The Golden Age and The Loulan Oath, both drawing significant crowds of young visitors during the holiday.

From Sightseeing to Storytelling: A Regional Transformation

The 2026 National Day holiday data reveals a fundamental shift in how travelers engage with destinations across the Yangtze River Delta. Visitors are no longer content with photographing landmarks — they want to become part of the story. As the head of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology noted, the country's experience economy market reached 18.4 trillion yuan ($2.7 trillion) as of November 2025, growing 22.6% year on year, with experience-driven consumption scenarios proliferating nationwide.

Oct. 2: Children take part in the immersive “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” exploration experience at Jiaxing Museum in Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Jin Peng)

"There's a clear shift from ticket-based revenue to stay-based revenue, and from one-time check-ins to immersive experiences," said an industry analyst. "The Yangtze River Delta is at the forefront of this transformation."

For Hengdian, the strategic pivot from a production-only base to a visitor-facing experience destination has paid dividends. Wang Xinwen, a director at Hengdian World Studios' content creation center, outlined the next phase: "We will launch upgraded short drama experiences with more elements suitable for international visitors, incorporating both film culture and traditional Chinese culture."

The numbers suggest international audiences are ready. What began as a domestic experiment in experience tourism has evolved into a global invitation to step onto the set and into the story. Step onto the set, and into the story.