Produced by | Huabo Business Review

On October 8, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the "report card" for the National Day holiday, revealing that a total of 765 million domestic trips were made, generating a total expenditure of RMB 700.817 billion. Among these, Chengdu attracted 23.789 million "fans" to visit and check-in, ranking first among domestic cities in terms of total tourist numbers. Notably, Chengdu's permanent resident population in 2024 was only 21.403 million. In essence, during this year's National Day holiday, Chengdu hosted another "Chengdu" worth of tourists.

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24 million tourists flocked in, Chengdu hosted another Chengdu

Data from Qunar.com shows that Chengdu successfully ranked second among the hottest destinations in terms of overall bookings for domestic flights and hotels during the National Day holiday. Moreover, Chengdu also ranked second among the popular destinations for chartered tours within China and topped the list of popular cities for car rental self-drives, becoming the second most popular destination among the post-00s generation. These figures undeniably establish Chengdu as the "star attraction" of the National Day holiday. Chengdu's ability to attract such a vast number of tourists is largely attributed to its first-class hospitality. Firstly, Chengdu's busy and efficient transportation system provides convenient travel conditions for tourists. During the 2024 National Day holiday, Chengdu Metro transported a cumulative total of 38.88 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 5.99%, with an average daily passenger volume reaching 5.5543 million. In particular, the passenger flow at 43 stations, including Tianfu Airport's T1 and T2 terminals, reached a record high. Additionally, the total inbound passenger flow at over ten major scenic spot stations on Chengdu's rail transit exceeded 2.62 million, representing a 5.85% year-on-year increase compared to 2023.

Apart from the subway, Chengdu's aviation port has also regained its vitality. The number of international (regional) scheduled direct flights has been restored and expanded to 50 routes, ranking first in central and western China, attracting a significant number of international tourists to Chengdu. During the National Day holiday, Chengdu Frontier Inspection Station inspected over 100,000 inbound and outbound passengers, a year-on-year increase of 30.6%, and inspected over 800 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 31.9%. It is worth mentioning that Chengdu has also seen an increase in cross-city travelers. During the National Day holiday, the S3 (Ziyang) line transported a total of 416,100 passengers. On September 29, the opening of the first cross-city rail transit line in Sichuan Province, the Ziyang Line, significantly enhanced the travel experience for Ziyang residents visiting Chengdu during the holiday. Chengdu is also rich in tourism resources. Historic and cultural attractions such as the Wuhou Temple, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Jinli Ancient Street, and Kuanzhai Alley attract large numbers of tourists interested in history and culture. Meanwhile, natural landscapes like Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan provide excellent destinations for those who enjoy scenic views.

In particular, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is highly favored by domestic and international tourists, serving as a unique tourist card for Chengdu. During the National Day holiday, various performances in Chengdu emerged in an endless stream, attracting a large number of people. Events such as the symphony concert by the Low Bitter Herb Band at the "Autumn in Chengdu" International Music Festival, Mayday's "Back to That Day" 25th Anniversary Concert at Dong'anhu Sports Park, the "Originated from Nature" symphony concert jointly presented by the Chengdu Symphony Orchestra and the Chengdu Natural History Museum, and two consecutive concerts by Rene Liu at Fenghuangshan Sports Park all injected new vitality into Chengdu's tourism market.

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Top-notch money-making ability

With tourists flocking in, Chengdu has also shown its love for its visitors. During the National Day holiday, various districts and counties in Chengdu seized the consumption boom and launched a plethora of culinary events. Activities like the Pixian Bean Paste Exposition, the Juntun Guokui Gourmet Cultural Festival, the Xindu Imported Gourmet Carnival, and the "Maomao Talks About Food" culinary tour in Dujiangyan delighted tourists with a variety of delicious foods. Food streets and food venues across the city also witnessed a consumption boom, making food culture a highlight of Chengdu's National Day holiday. As the venue for the "2024 Chengdu International Gourmet Carnival," Wenshu Temple launched a food market with the theme of "International Flavor, Chengdu Taste," attracting a large number of tourists to savor the local delicacies.

According to statistics, the food market received approximately 800,000 visitors, a year-on-year increase of 17%, with an average daily sales of nearly RMB 1 million, a 38% year-on-year increase compared to 2023. Among them, the average daily sales of catering businesses exceeded RMB 300,000. Additionally, the main venue of the Chengdu International Horticultural Exposition also presented diverse cultural activities such as light and shadow shows, artistic performances, and interactive games, creating an immersive cultural tourism experience for visitors. Tourists could enjoy the beautiful scenery, celebrate the holiday, and feel the unique charm of Chengdu at the exposition. To ease the burden on tourists, Chengdu's cultural tourism sector relied on OTA platforms like Ctrip and Meituan to distribute RMB 30 million worth of "Lotus Blossom, Joyful Travel in Tianfu" cultural tourism consumption vouchers before the National Day holiday. This not only allowed tourists to visit Chengdu worry-free and cost-effectively but also further promoted cultural tourism consumption in Chengdu. Meanwhile, Chengdu's cultural tourism sector also collaborated with platforms like Ctrip, AutoNavi, and Didi to launch National Day discount packages and introduce a brand-new cultural tourism activity called "Travel with Concerts." Of course, as a top-tier "idol," Chengdu's money-making ability is also first-rate.

Data shows that during the National Day holiday, Chengdu's 215 special commercial streets received a cumulative total of 5.3434 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 12.36%, with a cumulative turnover of approximately RMB 157.4804 million, a year-on-year increase of 11.73%. The city's A-grade tourist attractions welcomed 11.355 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 9.5%. Eleven key catering enterprises achieved catering revenue exceeding RMB 110 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.28%. Furthermore, Chengdu's commercial performance box office revenue approached RMB 100 million, a staggering 89% year-on-year increase.