Passion for sports boosts holiday travel, spending in China

Passengers wait to board a train at the platform at Hengyang East Railway Station in Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 6, 2024. [Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Approximately two months after the conclusion of the Paris Olympic Games, Chinese people's enthusiasm for sports is driving an increase in travel and consumption during the week-long National Day holiday, with numerous visitors swarming into sports venues to participate in or watch various sports activities.

On the holiday, which lasts from Oct. 1 to 7, a saddle club in Changchun, the capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, saw the number of reservations doubling to more than 100 courses a day.

"In addition to locals who bring their children for equestrian courses, many tourists and horse lovers from other parts of China come for horse riding," said Zhang Jianpeng, the club manager.

Dressed in riding gear, Wang Tianyu practiced controlling the rein and jumping over obstacles on horseback under the guidance of a coach.

"I want to make use of the holiday to improve my equestrian skills, and also enjoy the autumn scenery and delicious food here. The experience is particularly fulfilling and enjoyable," said Wang, from Henan Province.

In August, China's State Council issued guidelines to promote high-quality development in service consumption, including expanding sports facilities, encouraging diverse sporting events and deepening pilot projects to stimulate sports-related spending.

While the Forbidden City and Great Wall remain Beijing's iconic attractions, the city's National Tennis Center and Shougang Park have emerged as new hotspots during the holiday, as the 2024 China Open and the World Table Tennis China Smash have attracted tennis and table tennis fans, with Olympic champions including Zheng Qinwen and Sun Yingsha being the most popular stars there.

People watch the 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash at the Shougang Park in Beijing, China, Oct. 3, 2024. [Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin]

In Rongjiang County, the birthplace of the Guizhou Village Super League, also known as "Cun Chao" in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Chinese and foreign amateur players attended 19 football matches during the holiday.

"The Village Super League provides a good platform and opportunity for football fans across the country and even around the world, allowing people to fall in love with football," said Wu Dechao, a tourist from Henan Province, who came to watch the games for the second time.

Long Antong, who runs a barbecue stand at a night fair near the stadium, said the number of tourists is surging during this year's holiday, and his income has grown tenfold more than usual.

Statistics show the football matches helped attract 380,000 tourists to the county during the holiday as of Oct. 5, up 30.67 percent year on year. The total tourism revenue surged 26.78 percent year on year to over 460 million yuan (about 65.6 million U.S. dollars).

An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 5, 2024 shows tourists taking part in an off-road challenge in World Mystery Town of Karamay in Urho District of Karamay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo by Min Yong/Xinhua]

According to China's sports development plan from 2021 to 2025, the total output of the country's sports industry is projected to reach 5 trillion yuan by 2025, with individual sports-related consumption exceeding 2.8 trillion yuan.

In Alxa League in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Alxa Festival, an annual off-road vehicle-themed desert culture event, received 123,300 tourists on Oct. 1, up 23.3 percent year on year. A cycling contest and a hiking event were also held there during the holiday.

"The festival has become a renowned brand for off-road racing events at home and abroad and an icon that highlights the local characteristics of Alxa," said Liu Decui, deputy chief of the league.