Cities across China have leveraged local natural and cultural resources to boost consumption during this year's Qingming Festival holiday, which ran from Friday to Sunday.
Featuring a unique scene blending a commercial street and green space, a shopping complex in Shenzhen's Longgang District attracted many residents and holidaymakers to enjoy the springtime.
Merchants also decorated their stores with flowers and green plants to create a relaxing atmosphere for consumers.
"I think the park-like shopping mall can provide us with some emotional value, commercial value and aesthetic value. Shenzhen's shopping malls are always easygoing, friendly and diverse for me," said Shen, a tourist.
In the city's Futian District, two sightseeing gallery bridges were set up to connect a shopping mall and with two parks, which brought a larger influx of visitors to all the places during the holiday.
"The customer flow in the commercial circle increased by 66 percent year on year, and both the retail and catering sectors saw double-digit year-on-year growth, up 36 percent and 53 percent , respectively," said Chen Juehao, marketing manager of the commercial circle.
Sitting by the Shenzhen Bay, the OCT Harbor, a retail and entertainment complex in Shenzhen's Nanshan District, immersed consumers in a fishing village scene with trees, rivers, bridges and stores.
"Here, we can have contact with nature life in the outdoor, and it provides one-stop service of catering and entertainment," said Wang, a Shenzhen resident.
The K11 ECOAST Art and Cultural District, located along the Taizi Bay in Shekou of Shenzhen, also served as a leisure complex for tourists with a mix of cultural, commercial and ecological elements.
"The weather is super. The kids are in a good mood. And we enjoy family time," said a foreign resident in Shenzhen
Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, saw a thriving nighttime economy during the holiday as numerous tourists flocked into its Yongzhou Ancient City.
The Pingxi Night Market along a street of over 300 meters bustled with tourists tasting various snacks, accompanied with music played by local people.
"My friends and I were immersed in the atmosphere when we had our night snack at the Pingxi Night Market, so we sang our own mountain songs and then attracted other diners to join us," said a Nanning resident.
"It's my first time to join such an activity. It's very interesting that someone was singing while we were dining," said Ye Qiyu, a tourist.
The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, traditionally falls on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. It is a traditional Chinese festival focusing on remembering the deceased and worshiping the ancestors.
Chinese cities leverage natural, cultural resources to boost consumption during Qingming Festival
