Stamp collecting has emerged as a captivating trend among China's younger generation, which could boost tourist spending during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday which started on Sunday.
According to data from Fliggy, an online travel platform, hotel bookings have skyrocketed by 50 percent compared to the same period in 2019 while car rental reservations have more than doubled during this Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
The preference for luxury accommodation is evident, with nearly 60 percent of hotel bookings concentrated on five-star establishments and boutique homestays. This suggests that travelers are willing to invest more in their Mid-Autumn Festival experiences.
Beyond traditional tourist attractions, Gen Z and millennials are increasingly drawn to unique activities like moon-watching, lantern festivals, nighttime boat cruises, and stamp collecting.
In Shanghai, the nation's economic hub, brick-and-mortar stores are employing innovative strategies to attract customers during the holiday. One such tactic involves offering a complimentary stamp with every purchase, adding an element of collectible excitement to the shopping experience.
"I'm willing to buy something I like to get a stamp," said a tourist.
The stamps are usually found in places of historic significance, and it's become a secret weapon to boost customer flow.
A pop-up coffee and souvenir shop in downtown Shanghai, which opened just a week ago, features products related to archaeological excavations from the world-renowned Sanxingdui Ruins, one of China's most important archaeological discoveries in the 20th century. It's also offering some specially designed stamps, with the stamp counter often very busy.
"The store received nearly 1,000 people on the first day it opened. That number will double during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday," said Liu Xiaoji, manager of the shop.
For the price of a coffee, from around 28 yuan (about 4 U.S. dollars), the customer will also get a special stamp.
"Some people come for our limited-edition stamps. And when they collect the stamps, they also look around for other interesting stuff," Liu said.
The stamps hold special meanings for tourists who want to record their travel experiences in unique ways.
"I like to get a stamp, and then print the photo I take on site, and affix it with the stamp. And I will write my feelings about the tour," said a tourist.
For shop owners, it's a sound business decision.
"We did the stamp design ourselves. And the only cost is a few dozen yuan for an oil seal. It's worth it," said Liu.
And for museum operators, who've been making every effort to boost their ticket sales, it's also a smart choice.
Some museums have adapted it to allow automatic stamp collection. People who want to get a stamp at the museums are required to buy a handbook or "passport".
"We sold more than 7,700 'passports' by August of this year. People can get four stamps at our museum and at different exhibition areas on seal collection machines," said Shen Ying, a staff member of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.
On the Instagram-like content-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, stamp collection in Shanghai has had more than 610,000 mentions.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions. It falls on Sept. 17 this year.
Stamp collecting new trend for shoppers during China's Mid-Autumn Festival holiday
