A horseback archery tournament in Erenhot of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has driven a commercial boom for the border city's retail and tourism sectors, as it translates tournament traffic into retail and tourism growth.
The tournament, comprising the inaugural National Mongolian Horse Super League, the National Mounted Archery Tour, and the Erenhot International Masters Tournament, has drew more than 150 domestic riders from 22 provincial-level regions, alongside 139 competitors from 23 countries and regions during the week-long National Day holiday, which started last Thursday.
The influx of domestic and international competitors has injected fresh vitality into local commercial districts and scenic spots. Between matches, riders flocked to intangible cultural heritage markets and pop-up vendor stalls to sample local cuisine and shop for souvenirs.
"I'm really happy and I think everything here is lovely, especially the handicrafts. I absolutely love this stirrup. It's all very rich in details. It's very different from what we have in Brazil. And it makes perfect sense for me to buy the stirrup, since I'm here riding a horse," said Ana Karolina Camargo, a Brazilian competitor.
In addition to the competitors, large crowds of domestic and international spectators have gathered here, packing local specialty supermarkets to purchase regional goods and local snacks to take home.
"Today, it's been amazing experience here in this little market. And I have bought sweets and candy to take home to my family, and some other snacks for them to try," said Katherine Robinson Park, a British competitor.
Others ventured out to explore the border city's major tourist attractions.
"The Erenhot Dinosaur Museum is gorgeous, and I recommend it to anyone who comes to visit the city. The lights, the relics, everything that is represented here is wonderful. The descriptions are very accurate, and it is very beautiful," said Alessandro de Santis, a Italian competitor.
Local economic data indicates a sharp boost brought about by the events.
During the first three days of the National Day holiday, major shopping malls in Erenhot recorded more than 12,000 visitor trips. Key monitored business districts raked in over 20 million yuan (about 2.98 million U.S. dollars), an 8-percent increase year on year.
Horseback archery tournament fuels retail, tourism boom in north China's border city
