Cultural tourism has gained strong momentum during the five-day May Day holiday in China, as cities across the country roll out immersive experiences combining traditional culture, intangible cultural heritage elements and nighttime consumption, attracting large numbers of domestic and overseas visitors.
During the holiday running from May 1 to 5, the Chengdu Wuhou Shrine, southwest China's Sichuan Province, launched a Three Kingdoms-themed bus tour linking multiple intangible cultural heritage experience sites.
Tourists on board the themed bus can take part in hands-on heritage crafts and join interactive activities such as quizzes on the history of ancient China's Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD).
"This is the first time I'm experiencing this bus trip. Actually I was really impressed by the costumes that they are wearing. We are literally diving into Chinese culture," said a tourist from Uzbekistan.
After a 20- to 30-minute ride, visitors will arrive at an intangible cultural heritage activity zone at the Shrine. Special holiday programs are introduced there, combining intangible heritage elements with Three Kingdoms culture for the first time.
Tourists can watch performances featuring Three Kingdoms characters and try making traditional snacks.
"I have tasted it actually. I mean it's really good. It's not that sweet so I really like it," said a tourist from the Czech Republic.
The activities will run through Tuesday, with the total number of visits expected to exceed 460,000 during the five-day holiday.
Known as the "mecca of the Three Kingdoms," the Wuhou Shrine was constructed nearly 1,800 years ago to commemorate Zhuge Liang, a renowned military strategist in the Three Kingdom Period.
At the same time, in east China's Jiangsu Province, Huai'an City has also created new cultural and tourism consumption scenarios by introducing themed nighttime attractions.
At the Xiyou World of Adventure amusement park, themed on "Journey to the West", 2,000 drones fly every night during the holiday, forming creative patterns to light up the sky.
To enhance visitor experiences, the park has extended its opening hours and introduced immersive nighttime programs such as themed parades and performances.
Preliminary statistics show that the number of the park's single-day visits surpassed 30,000, up 30 percent year on year. More than 60 percent of the tourists came from outside the city, effectively unleashing the holiday consumption potential of the cultural tourism market.
For Hexia Ancient Town also in Huai'an, more than 30 immersive nighttime cultural tourism activities have been staged, offering visitors a scenic night tour experience at every step.
As the aerial cable system slowly starts, a "celestial maiden" holding a flower basket dances in mid-air, with colorful petals drifting down, creating a vivid and graceful scene against the night sky.
"It was absolutely stunning. Coupled with the night scenery of this ancient town and the way the lights are arranged, it made me feel like I had stepped into a fantasy drama. It felt extremely fairy-like," said a tourist named Ma Xinyi.
The ancient town has recorded over 200,000 visits in each single day of the holiday season, with tourism popularity continuing to rise.
Immersive cultural experiences draw crowds during May Day holiday in parts of China
