Hey there! Ever wondered how China spent its summer? Spoiler alert: It was absolutely epic! 🌟
Travel Fever Hits China 🧳
This summer, the Chinese mainland was buzzing with excitement as around 37,000 cultural and tourism events took place. From enchanting night tours to cool mountain getaways and fun-filled family excursions, there was something for everyone!
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, these events spanned over 4,000 categories, catering to everyone's tastes. No wonder internet searches for hotels and flight tickets shot up by more than 20% compared to last year! ✈️🏨
But that's not all. Domestic car rental orders zoomed up by over 40%, with single-day orders hitting record highs. Self-driving tours, especially to the picturesque northwest China, became the new trend. 🚗💨
Box Office Boom 🍿
Movie lovers were in for a treat as China's box office earnings soared past 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion)! With a lineup of blockbuster hits, cinemas were packed, and the popcorn was popping! 🎥🍿
Sports Mania Takes Over 🏸
And guess what? The excitement from the Paris Olympic Games got everyone pumped up! Chinese consumers dived into sporting activities like never before. Searches for sports activities skyrocketed by around 180% in July compared to June. Badminton bookings grew by 90%, and tennis saw a whopping 172% surge! 🏸🎾
“The demand for sports has never been higher,” shared data from Meituan, a popular e-commerce platform. Looks like everyone wanted to channel their inner athlete! 🥇
Boosting the Service Sector 🚀
Amid all this excitement, the State Council rolled out a cool guideline with 20 key tasks to elevate service consumption. Think hospitality, domestic services, tourism, and more. It's all about creating new experiences and making things even better for everyone! 🎯
Experts are super optimistic. Zhu Min, former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, believes that China’s next moves, like boosting income levels and improving social services, will amplify the demand for services.
Official stats back it up! In the first half of the year, retail sales of services jumped by 7.5% year-on-year, outpacing goods. Service consumption made up 45.6% of the per capita consumer spending. Talk about making waves! 🌊
What’s Next? 🤔
A big meeting in late July highlighted that service consumption is set to be a major driver in expanding and upgrading consumption. So, keep an eye out! China's on a roll, and the best is yet to come! 🚀
So, whether it’s traveling to hidden gems, catching the latest blockbuster, or picking up a new sport, China’s got it all going on. Who's inspired to explore more? 🙋♀️🙋♂️
Reference(s):
Summer spending boom showcases China's service consumption potential
cgtn.com
