On October 8, the combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in China came to an end. According to the Culture and Tourism Department of Henan Province, despite continuous rainfall across much of the province, Henan province in central China still welcomed 81.36 million tourist visits, generating 53.91 billion yuan (about US$7.6 billion) in tourism revenue. These figures represent 89.1% and 83.4% of last year's levels, respectively, on a comparable basis.
In terms of tourist arrivals,the top five most visited cities are Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Nanyang, and Kaifeng. Whilein terms oftourism revenue, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Anyang, and Xuchang ranked in the top five.
This photo shows a iron fireworks performance at Millennium City Park in Kaifeng city, Henan province. Photo/Kaifeng Radio and Television Station
Patriotism Inspires Holiday Tourism
A strong sense of national pride defined holiday travel across Henan, with scenic spots transformed into "red seas". The Yinji International Tourism Resort in Xinmi staged an "Underwater Red Flag Show"; Chaya Mountain in Zhumadian and Jigong Mountain in Xinyang were adorned with thousands of red flags; Yuntai Mountain in Jiaozuo held a "Giant National Flag Relay"; and the Iron Pagoda Scenic Area in Kaifeng hosted a patriotic flash mob themed "Me and My Motherland". At Dapi Mountain in Hebi, visitors joined in a "Red Song" flash mob to express heartfelt wishes for China.
At Hongqiqu (Red Flag Canal) Scenic Area in Anyang, nearly 100 live performances reenacted the canal's construction history. The upgraded multi-act live show "Thirsty Memory" vividly brought the audience to life of the hardships and spirit of the builders more than 60 years ago.
This is the "Underwater Red Flag Show" launched at Yinji International Tourism Resort in Xinmi city, Henan province. Photo/Culture and TourismDepartment of Henan Province
Cultural Tourism Destinations Perform Strongly
Cultural and experiential tourism attractions continued to shine. Millennium City Park (Qingming Shanghe Park) in Kaifeng welcomed 793,600 visitors, earning 94 million yuan (about US$13.2 million), up 25.5% and 11.3%, respectively. Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City in Kaifeng received 773,000 visitors with revenue of 69 million yuan (about US$9.7 million), up 13.4% and 9.8%. Despite the rain, "Unique Henan: Land of Dramas", a large-scale immersive theater complex in Zhengzhou, maintained an occupancy rate of over 90%, generating 81.41 million yuan (about US$11.4 million) in revenue, a 6.2% increase.
Opened in June, Zhenwei Water City in Xinmi, themed on "The Book of Songs", attracted 320,000 visitors over the eight-day holiday, with more than 40% coming from outside the province. In Zhengzhou, the newly opened Bodu New Image Commercial Street combined modern design with elements of ancient Shang culture. By linking historical sites such as Zhengzhou's Confucius Temple and City God Temple, and introducing Michelin restaurants and intangible heritage workshops, it created a vibrant fusion of tradition and modernity that drew large crowds.
This is an aerial view of "Unique Henan: Land of Dramas"in Zhengzhou city, Henan province. Photo/"Unique Henan: Land of Dramas"
Museums Become Popular "Rain Shelters"
Museums, libraries, and cultural venues became popular choices for rainy-day visitors, receiving a total of 7.083 million visits, up 21.5% year-on-year. On the seventh day alone, the visits reached 1.012 million. Both Henan Museum and Luoyang Museum saw daily visitor numbers exceed 20,000.
A "Digital Cultural Relic Protection Initiative" launched by 15 Luoyang museums drew 260,000 online interactions, boosting cultural product sales by 65%. Sales of intangible cultural heritage products exceeded 50 million yuan (about US$7 million), forming a positive cycle of "online engagement driving offline consumption". Across the province, more than 1,300 public-benefit intangible cultural heritage events were held, attracting nearly 15 million participants.
Visitors explore the Henan Museum during the National Day holiday. Photo/Culture and TourismDepartment of Henan Province
Thoughtful Services Enhance Henan's Image
Henan placed tourists at the center of its services, combining favorable policies, considerate assistance, and enhanced safety measures. Cities such as Zhengzhou, Luohe, and Xinxiang issued consumption vouchers for attractions and homestays, while Laojun Mountain in Luoyang continued its popular "One-Yuan (about $0.14) Lunch" tradition for the ninth year.
This is the "One-Yuan Lunch" event held at Laojun Mountain Scenic Area in Luoyang city, Henan province, celebrating nine years of tradition. Photo/Culture and Tourism Department of Henan Province
To minimize the impact of bad weather, scenic areas took proactive steps. Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City and Jianye Film Town stocked raincoats and shoe covers for visitors, while Wangwu Mountain scenic area in Jiyuan introduced a "Rainy Day Ticket Extension" policy, allowing visitors to return for free anytime before the end of 2025 with their original tickets. (USD equivalents are approximate, based on an exchange rate of 1 USD ≈ 7.1196 RMB.) (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Guo Ge Translator: Tong Lin Proofreader: Jiao Dan)
