Cultural performances draw holiday crowds at scenic spots nationwide

China's seven-day National Day holiday that began Thursday has brought a surge of visitors to scenic spots across China, where traditional cultural performances are giving tourists a taste of the country's rich heritage.

At the Hukou Waterfall scenic area of Linfen City, north China's Shanxi Province, a peak in visitor numbers coincided with a spectacular percussion show.

More than 200 drummers of the Weifeng gongs-and-drums troupe performed by the Yellow River, blending two distinct regional styles: the vigorous, weighty beats of southern Shanxi, surging like the great river itself; and the bright, passionate cadence of Taizhong drums.

While showcasing the unique appeal of Shanxi's traditional drum music culture, the performances also expressed the deep love for the country's magnificent landscapes.

To enrich the holiday experience, the scenic area is also staging a series of performances of intangible cultural heritage, including land-boat dances, suona music and yangko folk dances, so visitors can enjoy the grandeur of the waterfall while being immersed in Shanxi's cultural traditions.

Meanwhile, by the Dianchi Lake in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, a very different celebration is unfolding.

Ethnic groups in colorful traditional costumes formed neat formations, singing and dancing to lively rhythms. After Tibetan dances welcomed guests, Naxi and Yi ethnic groups float parades rolled by, and Munao Zongge--the grandest traditional mass song-and-dance celebration of the Jingpo ethnic group getting more popular recently, drew crowds of visitors to watch and even join in.

"It's really special. Yunnan has always been a place of many ethnic groups, and here you can experience it for yourself and truly feel the charm of Yunnan's culture," said Wang Mengying, student in Yunnan.

Beyond the song and dance, the lakeside area offers immersive experiences rooted in traditional Chinese culture. At a street fair, Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220)-style traditional games, such as pitch-pot, wooden archery and the ancient football form of cuju, become alive as interactive attractions.

Far to the west, the old town of Kashgar City in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is decked out with festive decorations and red flags for the holiday.

An opening ceremony at the town's east gate on Thursday kicked off the celebrations, with local residents in festive attire singing and dancing to welcome visitors.

Strolling through centuries-old lanes, wandering among distinctive residences, popular photo spots and intangible cultural heritage shops, tourist can take in the town's deep history and its fresh new look, all at the same time.

"Visiting Kashgar's old town this time, I could feel the rich cultural and humanistic atmosphere here. From the perspective of an outside visitor, the feeling of truly immersing oneself in the local environment and culture is very profound," said Yao Zhouzhi, tourist from Hangzhou.

Cultural performances draw holiday crowds at scenic spots nationwide

Direct flights between China and Greece are bringing more Chinese tourists to Athens, boosting travel between the two countries.

For more Chinese travelers, Greece is getting closer. Flights are increasing, direct connections are growing, and for travelers from cities like Shanghai and Beijing, the journey to Athens is becoming much simpler.

"In 2024, the first time coming here, I had to take a flight to Istanbul and then doing a transfer to here. Now, it's a direct flight," said a Chinese traveler.

"I really like Greece. It's not my first time here. It's probably the sixth or seventh I am here over the past two years. It's a great place with nice weather and people," said another passenger who just landed in Athens.

In central Athens, history remains one of the biggest attractions.

Tour guides say Chinese visitors often find something familiar here, with both Greece and China shaped by ancient civilizations and a strong sense of cultural heritage.

"We have Socrates, Plato and Aristotle; they have Confucius and Mencius. So these are two great ancient civilizations. There is mutual respect," said a local tour guide in Athens.

But the way Chinese visitors spend is also changing. Local guides say tourists are becoming more selective, spending less on shopping than in the past and more on food, experiences and sightseeing.

What's changing now is not simply the number of Chinese travelers interested in Greece -- it's the capacity to bring them here.

With Shanghai now connected to Athens every day, and Beijing already served directly, traveling between the two countries is becoming faster and easier.

Passenger traffic jumped 42 percent in the first quarter, while Shanghai-Athens had already carried around 68,000 passengers by early August.

With more direct flights now in place, those numbers could climb further.

Juneyao Airlines has increased its Shanghai-Athens service to daily flights.

Air China is also continuing its direct Beijing-Athens route.

For Athens International Airport, that growing connectivity is opening up one of Asia's most important travel markets.

"So, it is true that the weekly frequencies have increased, the passenger numbers have increased. And I have to say that the Chinese market is very important to us, it's one of our top 20 markets, it keeps increasing a lot. And I think most importantly, what drives these increases in demand from China for Athens, has to do mainly with what we call the 'USP' of Athens, the 'unique selling proposition,'" said Ioanna Papadopoulou, director of communications and markets at Athens International Airport.

Direct flights boost travel between China, Greece