Ticket stubs drives up consumption

Tickets people have used for transportation or other activities have become an evidence to extend the holders' consumption in other scenarios, and thus bring forth a new model of "ticket stub economy" in China, which is getting hot as they give consumers additional discounts in a wide range of consumption scenarios.

More and more places are offering benefits to people holding valid ticket stubs.

In Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi in east China, nine scenic areas, including the iconic Tengwang Pavilion dating back to 653 AD, offered free admissions to holders of the ticket stubs for either of the two concerts given by Dao Lang, a well-known Chinese singer, in mid April. Dao Lang held two concerts in Nanchang on April 12 and 13, drawing fans to travel to the city from across the country. The enthusiastic fans were seen holding banners at the Tengwang Pavilion to show their love for Dao Lang, and they said the offer made their travel more valuable.

"This trip is really worth it. We attended Dao Lang's concert and visited the Tengwang Pavilion. I'm also going to buy some cultural and creative products," said Liu Liangjun, a fan from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

During the period of the two concerts, the scenic areas in Nanchang gained a 140 percent year-on-year increase in their admission booking.

In Jiangxi's Xinyu City, with a hotel invoice, visitors to the Fairy Lake Scenic Area can enjoy discounts when dining in nearby restaurants.

"I'm set to go around nearby villages and try some farm house dishes. With the 20-percent discount offer, we can try some more dishes," said Liao Yanshu, a tourist from central China's Hubei Province.

Since the ticket stub business promotion campaign was rolled out in the Fairy Lake Scenic Area, the surrounding catering outlets have reported an average 20-percent increase in their daily turnover and shopping facilities an 18-percent growth in their daily sales.

"The 'ticket stub economy' is in fact a form of economy of association. To ensure its sustainable and healthy development, local governments should establish cross-departmental task forces to coordinate resource allocation across transportation, culture and tourism, and commerce, while avoiding fragmented and separate responses. Business operators also need to leverage digital tools to accurately identify consumer demands and offer more attractive discount packages, thereby further stimulating the market vitality," said Zheng Yating, an associate researcher at the Economic Research Institute under Jiangxi Academy of Social Sciences.

Ticket stubs drives up consumption

A wildfire that engulfed part of a forest in Shantou City of south China's Guangdong Province on Sunday has been extinguished after 17 hours of concerted efforts by multiple departments including emergency response, firefighting and public security units.

Villagers living at the foot of Xianglu Mountain were the first to notice the fire erupting on its slopes.

"It looked far away and I thought it was just someone burning garbage," recalled one villager.

Upon discovering the fire, local authorities immediately organized personnel to combat the flames, with mobilization of over 200 rescuers from surrounding areas to assist in the firefighting efforts.

"We were divided into two to three groups, with one conducting regular firefighting and another using water pumps to extinguish the fire," said one rescuer.

Given the rapid spread of the fire, local officials also called in aerial support with helicopters to aid in extinguishing the blaze. Furthermore, many personnel organized by local grassroots departments were actively involved in the firefighting efforts.

By 06:00 on Monday, the wildfire was finally extinguished without causing any casualties. The dry climate in winter increases the risk of forest fire in the region. However, the cause of the forest fire is still under investigation.

Wildfire extinguished in south China's Guangdong after 17 hours of efforts