Hangzhou sees tourism boom during Asian Games

Tourists stroll along the Southern Song Imperial Street in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

Hangzhou, the host city of the ongoing 19th Asian Games in east China's Zhejiang Province, has attracted widespread attention. Domestic and international tourists have gathered here to witness the charm of the city.

Data from many online travel platforms shows that during the Asian Games, Hangzhou has seen a significant increase in tourism consumption, generating noticeable spill-over effects.

Based on big data analysis, it is predicted that the city will embrace an unprecedented surge in tourist arrivals, with the number of visitors from outside expected to exceed 20 million.

The number of tourists visiting Hangzhou and its surrounding areas to experience the Asian Games atmosphere has increased.

Data from online travel service provider Qunar.com shows that hotel bookings in Hangzhou during the Asian Games have increased by 4.4 times compared to 2019, and hotel bookings near the competition venues have increased by 7 times compared to last month.

Data from online travel agency Fliggy shows that Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, as well as Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Taizhou, Shaoxing and Jiaxing, are the main sources of visitors coming to Hangzhou to watch the games and travel during the Asian Games.

International flight bookings to Hangzhou during the Asian Games have increased by over 20 times compared to last year.

Enthusiasm for watching the games has also sparked an increase in tourism spending in the surrounding areas of Hangzhou.

Data from online travel agency Tongcheng Travel indicates that since September, there has been a continuous rise in inquiries and bookings for tourism products related to Zhejiang, as well as a significant surge in the search for tourism products during the National Day holiday in Hangzhou.

Data from Qunar.com shows that during the Asian Games, hotel bookings in the five co-host cities of Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaoxing, and Jinhua have increased by more than five times compared to 2019.

On August 30, Zhejiang and Fliggy rolled out 10 premium sports travel routes and launched a Zhejiang digital travel map.

The sports travel routes incorporate various sports events, such as badminton, volleyball, kayaking and archery, as well as activities like cuju (an ancient Chinese ball game), Touhu game, or Pitch-pot, an ancient Chinese entertainment, and frisbee, catering to the preferences of young people.

In June, Hangzhou released 15 classic Asian Games-themed travel routes, five barrier-free routes themed on the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, three nighttime travel routes on water, 13 travel routes on water, and 64 distinctive travel routes in districts and counties.

These routes connect the best of Hangzhou's tourism resources, providing a colorful window for both domestic and international tourists to see, explore, and understand Hangzhou.