Consumption in Beijing sees holiday boost

Beijing's consumer sector demonstrated robust growth during the National Day holiday, with major business districts and enterprises reporting significant increases in foot traffic and sales revenue driven by diverse promotional events, trade-in subsidies and the integration of cultural and sporting activities.

The Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau said 70 key business districts across the city received 60.35 million visits during the holiday, a 5.2 percent year-on-year increase, generating 15.68 billion yuan ($2.34 billion) in consumption revenue. Meanwhile, 127 monitored key enterprises accumulated 7.95 billion yuan in sales, reflecting a stable and orderly market performance.

Addressing the city's market outlook, Tang Wenhong, vice-mayor of Beijing, said that amid evolving consumer habits, the capital holds immense consumption potential and broad prospects as a major commercial hub. Tang pointed out that Beijing has a permanent population of over 21 million and a peak transient population exceeding 30 million, with middle-income earners making up nearly 70 percent of the total. The city also leads the country in the number of high-net-worth households, while services-related spending accounts for about 60 percent of total consumption. Moving forward, Tang said Beijing would continue to implement targeted initiatives to stimulate consumption by fully leveraging the advantages of China's ultra-large market, enhancing the quality, taste and branding of goods and services on the supply side, and ensuring a safer, more convenient and more enjoyable experience for consumers on the demand side.

The government's trade-in subsidy programs served as a major catalyst for the recently finished holiday retail growth. In the first six days of the break, sales of subsidized consumer goods reached 111,500 units, generating 434 million yuan. The automobile trade-in policy also continued to release market dividends, with 1,268 applications received during the same period, providing 16.86 million yuan in subsidies and driving an estimated 284 million yuan in new auto sales.

Retail hubs across the city attracted consumers by upgrading shopping experiences and hosting cultural events. Foot traffic surged across various locations, with the Universal Studios business district seeing a 120 percent increase, while Xiangyun Town, Shuangjing and Xidan Financial Street reported growth of 14 percent, 10.3 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively. To further stimulate shopping behavior, districts including Shijingshan, Xicheng and Tongzhou issued targeted consumption coupons for retail and dining. Shopping centers also held diverse promotional and marketing activities, ranging from light shows and outdoor art exhibitions to intangible cultural heritage displays and trendy intellectual property collaborations.

The catering sector experienced strong momentum, supported by vibrant food markets and the innovation of time-honored brands. Dining sales in the Qianmen Dashilan and Xinshun South Street areas grew by 9.2 percent and 16.8 percent, respectively. Traditional Peking duck restaurants, such as Bianyifang and Quanjude, saw customer numbers rise by 10 to 20 percent after introducing innovative seasonal dishes and offerings that highlight traditional culinary techniques. Various districts also hosted craft beer festivals and spicy food markets, which significantly boosted local catering revenues and attracted large numbers of young consumers and families.

Data from hotpot chain Haidilao showed that on Oct 1, it received nearly 2 million individual dining visits across its stores nationwide, a record high, with Beijing sites serving as an important growth engine.

The integration of commercial, cultural, tourism and sporting events created dynamic new consumption scenarios. Major sporting events — including the WTT (World Table Tennis) China Smash at Shougang Park and the China Open tennis tournament — significantly boosted sales in surrounding commercial complexes and outlet malls by meeting consumer demand for both dining and shopping. Music festivals, live performances and nighttime events also contributed to healthy sales and foot traffic growth in several popular shopping districts.

Additionally, suburban hiking routes gained widespread popularity, driving related consumption such as seasonal fruit picking and agricultural product sales. Online data showed a 12.5 percent year-on-year increase in fruit, vegetable and flower picking activity over the holiday. Overall, offline tourism ticketing in Beijing rose 3.6 percent, and consumption by out-of-town visitors jumped 8.5 percent.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn