Beijing shattered its previous records for the total number of tourists received and tourism spending during this year's Labor Day holiday, as the city's cultural and tourism consumption surged. According to statistics released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the total number of tourists received in the city during the holiday period reached 18.827 million, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.1 percent. Total tourism spending hit 22.36 billion yuan, a 6.6 percent year-on-year increase. The city also welcomed 128,000 inbound tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 22.3 percent, generating 1.38 billion yuan in inbound tourism revenue, up 22.6 percent year-on-year.

During the past holiday, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism coordinated the city's cultural and tourism resources and rolled out more than 2,000 themed cultural and tourism activities under the banner "Colorful Labor Day, Explore Beijing Joyfully", covering a wide array of areas including cultural performances, scenic area tours, science education and study trips, and trendy markets. The agglomeration effect of the city's emerging cultural and leisure hubs became increasingly evident. In northern Beijing, the Bird's Nest hosted a series of live concerts that drew massive crowds; in southern Beijing, the Beijing International Flower Show in Lize Business District became a popular destination; in the west, esports tournaments and waterfront experiences in the "Two Parks and One River" Area (Shougang Park, Beijing Garden Expo Park, and Yongding River) brought new energy to the region; and in the east, a grand waterscape show on the Grand Canal dazzled audiences. A total of 332 commercial stage performances were held across the city over the holiday, with 1,684 shows bringing in approximately 260 million yuan in box office revenue.

Mayday's live concert at the Bird's Nest

In addition, events such as the Cloisonné Joy Week (景泰蓝欢乐周) at the Beijing Enamel Factory, the exhibition and sale of ICH items at Wangfujing's Shengxifu Hat Shop, and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Intangible Cultural Heritage Garden Party at Fenghuangling Scenic Area have made intangible cultural heritage a new highlight of holiday consumption.

During the holiday, Beijing adopted the principle of "integrating culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions" to create diversified consumption scenarios and inject fresh vitality into the holiday economy.

The "Sailing Along the Canal" waterscape poetry and music performance

[Photo via Beijing Tongzhou Fabu]

The "Sailing Along the Canal" waterscape poetry and music performance project, part of the Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Project in Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, allows visitors to take a 50-minute sightseeing cruise aboard new-energy vessels, immersing themselves in the thousand-year-old canal transportation culture through light-and-shadow shows with real-life settings. The "Come to Miyun to See the Sea" (来密云看海) campaign has gained widespread popularity, linking over 60 featured spots across Miyun District, covering everything from natural eco-scenery and cultural heritage to pastoral leisure, online-famous cafés, local cuisine, intangible cultural heritage experiences, hotels and guesthouses, and outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling.

In addition, the integration of cutting-edge technology and cultural tourism has also produced impressive results. Ten thematic "Technology + Industry" tour routes across Beijing link key attractions such as the Aerospace Castle Science Base and Xiaomi EV Factory, delivering both educational and entertaining experiences for visitors. During the holiday period, the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition attracted 450,000 visits, including large numbers of overseas attendees and tourists from outside the capital.

Beijing's holiday offerings formed a complementary structure between urban districts and suburban areas, ensuring diverse experiences for all visitors. Six newly released premium Color Walk urban micro-travel routes under the "Strolling in Beijing" theme connect historical and cultural sites, trendy destinations, and innovation hubs, attracting large numbers of residents and tourists to participate. In parallel, Beijing has released its inaugural "Greenway and Village Café Map", which consolidates information on a number of leisure trails and 129 distinctive countryside coffee shops, offering holidaymakers a diverse array of options for their getaways.

(Source: Official WeChat account of Beijing Daily)