China turns shopping into immersive experience
In Jiangsu province, grassroots football has also become an integral part of the tourism experience. During the 2026 May Day holiday, a Su Super League match drew 60,503 spectators, setting an attendance record for the competition's second season. The league, featuring teams representing 13 cities across Jiangsu, attracted more than 2.43 million spectators in 2025.
During the holiday, chartered-tour bookings in Jiangsu rose 45 percent year-on-year, while hotel reservations increased by more than 50 percent, according to travel-service platforms.
"Emotional consumption and experience-based consumption continue to gain traction," said Wang Guanhua, an official with the National Bureau of Statistics.
"Travel and tourism remain popular, while tickets for major concerts, live shows and sporting events are often snapped up. These are vivid examples of the sustained release of Chinese households' service consumption potential," Wang said.
