Massive holidaymakers are flocking to central China's Henan Province to explore its profound history and diverse cultural sites during the National Day holiday.
Dozens of immersive theater plays are well performed at China's first immersive theater theme park "Unique Henan: Land of Dramas", offering interactive experiences with a special focus on Henan's cultural heritage.
The park has seen a 20 percent increase in reservations compared to last year, with more performances added and park hours extended to accommodate the growing demand of holidaymakers.
Known as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Longmen Grottoes is another top destination. The immersive VR experiences and the popular 'Night Tour of Longmen' have given ancient history a new life, adding more excitement to the contact with history.
Tourist Wang Yinglin was deeply impressed by Henan's rich cultural and historical heritage.
"'Only Henan' seems like a scenic spot with a rich historical deposit, where I can learn so much," said Wang.
Drawn to photo-friendly locations, Generation Z, especially college students, are a major driving force among visitors.
"I'm just looking for beautiful places to take photos. I find traveling to be quite tiring, especially since we live far away," said Xu Yating, another visitor.
Meanwhile, Henan's natural landscapes are equally captivating. The Yuntai Mountain is offering outdoor music performances and customized routes to enjoy the autumn leaves, luring photographers to capture the golden scenery.
The National Day holiday, which runs from Oct 1 to 7, marks a peak period for travel and tourism in China.
Henan sees booming tourism market during National Day holiday
Various celebrations are being staged across China in anticipation of the fast-approaching New Year's Day and the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday, or Spring Festival, boosting the market for related goods as more revelers get into the festive spirit.
In Beijing, more than 1,000 lanterns themed around fashion and technology are offering a colorful display in the city's Wenyuhe Park, making it one of the largest lantern festivals in the city this year.
In Shanghai, business districts have launched a series of themed decorations, exhibitions, performances, and interactive activities. Local authorities have also distributed consumption coupons, further stimulating consumer spending during the New Year's Day holiday, which falls on Wednesday.
In the nearby city of Hangzhou in the eastern Zhejiang Province, several promotional activities have been introduced to boost consumption. Additionally, business areas and shopping streets have been upgraded to meet the consumer demand for high-quality goods.
Special Spring Festival fairs have also been set up across the country as Chinese people gear up for their largest annual celebration around the Chinese New Year, which lands at the end of January in 2025.
In Huaiyuan County of east China's Anhui Province, a local fair is attracting visitors with a variety of well-known agricultural products. In Zhangzhou City of the coastal Fujian Province, a one-stop feature fair allows both visitors and locals to purchase a wide range of items.
Meanwhile, in northeast China's Jilin Province, local authorities in the city of Ji'an have sought to take advantage of the snowy conditions by integrating winter sports, offering visitors the chance to enjoy a range of snow and ice activities while shopping for Spring Festival goods.
Additionally, flowers are in high demand at many marketplaces across China as more people look to prepare some floral decorations as part of the celebrations.
In Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province, a special flower street featuring Chinese New Year flowers has been set up, where over 15,000 flowers are available, including more than 120 varieties of orchids.
Local flower markets area also in full bloom in various other places, from the northern cities of Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan to Hetian in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, all offering a wide variety of creative and unique flowers, which have been well received by residents.
New Year celebrations help boost market for festive goods
