Economic Watch: Booming theme parks highlight China's tourism, consumption potential
The resort in Shanghai, currently the largest LEGOLAND globally and the first in China, offers a new amusement option for Chinese citizens and foreigners visiting this metropolis. The opening of LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort on Saturday coincides with the beginning of the summer vacation, which is a tourism and consumption high season, especially for students.
The cultural and tourism industries are becoming important growth drivers -- as the Chinese economy shifts to a consumption-driven pattern.
Earlier this year, the Chinese government made it one of its major priorities to boost consumption and stimulate domestic demand across the board. It urged more efforts to foster new forms of cultural business and vigorously develop the tourism industry. Meanwhile, authorities also pledged better services and support for foreign investors, aimed at making China a favored destination for them.
Foreign-funded theme parks have both attested to and benefited from these commitments. Notably, Shanghai Disney Resort and Universal Beijing Resort have achieved great success.
More diversified demands for tourism products are driving an upgrade in terms of the offerings of this vibrant industry. For tourists who travel during summer holidays or take family trips, thematic or in-depth experience travels are becoming popular choices. This means that theme parks are expected to secure a sharp surge of visitors.
Growing tourism consumption has contributed to China's resilient consumer market. In the first quarter of 2025, the number of domestic tourist trips reached over 1.79 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 26.4 percent. Total tourism expenditure hit 1.8 trillion yuan (209.7 billion U.S. dollars) in this period, up 18.6 percent year on year.
Thanks to China's visa-free policies and related measures, the popularity of both travel and shopping in China among foreigners has risen, serving as a boost to the country's tourism development. Shanghai, being a prime example in this regard, received nealry 1.26 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2025 -- up 61.9 percent year on year.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, from July to August, local authorities will organize 4,300 activities and provide subsidies totaling 570 million yuan to boost cultural and tourism consumption.
The thriving tourism industry is injecting momentum into the Chinese economy, which grew 5.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025 and aims for an expansion of about 5 percent this year.
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