Beijing boosts consumption via cultural tourism, sports

Beijing is stepping up efforts to stimulate consumer spending by integrating cultural tourism, art performances, and sporting events, driving foot traffic and boosting revenue across key commercial areas.

"This is the Shang" exhibition at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing in Tongzhou district became one of the city's cultural highlights this year. Over its five-month run, the exhibition drew about 200,000 visitors and directly generated more than 20 million yuan ($2.76 million) in revenue. 

Cultural and creative products accounted for roughly 8.3 million yuan, or 41% of the total. The surge in visitors also boosted shopping and dining in nearby malls, where the three major commercial zones in Beijing's sub-center reported combined sales of 8.38 billion yuan during the period.

Sporting events have also emerged as a major consumption driver for the Chinese capital. In the area that hosted the China Open tennis tournament, foot traffic reached 6.22 million, driving 977 million yuan in spending. The Shougang commercial area, where the World Table Tennis event took place, recorded 1.13 million visits and 468 million yuan in consumption during the tournament period. 

Performances and art events similarly contributed to rising consumer activity. The National Stadium hosted 56 large-scale events with over 10,000 attendees each throughout the year, with total attendance expected to exceed 3 million this year.

The Beijing Film Life Festival further energized the city's cultural scene, featuring more than 300 activities and engaging over 30 major commercial districts and 1,100 stores. The festival attracted 76.66 million visitors and spurred 25.17 billion yuan in consumption. 

Integrating culture, commerce, tourism, and sports is key to cultivating high-end, experience-driven consumption and enhancing Beijing's appeal as an international city, said Lai Yang, a member of the China General Chamber of Commerce. This diversified ecosystem is emerging as a dynamic new engine for the capital's economic growth, Lai said.