A staff member displays a sugar painting shaped like a horse at Millennium City Park in Kaifeng, Henan province. CHINA DAILY
The traditional datiehua (molten iron fireworks) show lit up the night sky above the river at Millennium City Park in Kaifeng, Henan province.
It's one of the highlights of the 2026 Weibo Travel Night and the "Voices of Henan" Cultural and Tourism Podcast Conference held at the theme park in mid-October.
Social media platform Sina Weibo and the Henan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism officially co-launched a podcast project to promote high-quality cultural and tourism content about Henan, aiming to nurture outstanding creators who understand the province.
The event presented awards to individuals, podcasts, domestic, inbound and overseas destinations, and scenic spots in recognition of their achievements on Sina Weibo for 2025-26.
A separate forum was also held, with keynote speakers sharing views on trends in the culture and tourism industry and promoting destinations on social media.
Zeng Yu, vice general manager of Henan Culture and Tourism Investment Tourism Development Group, said in her speech that travelers are shifting their priorities. "Nowadays, travelers are moving away from traditional sightseeing tours in pursuit of emotional value. They seek check-in-worthy experiences, niche offerings that showcase personal style, and moments ripe for social media sharing," she said.
She said to meet these demands, scenic areas in Henan update their offerings, such as festive activities and live performances, which lie at the core of visitors' travel experiences. Some scenic spots have developed nighttime products to extend visitor stays and boost tourism revenue.
"Henan's scenic destinations place great emphasis on visitor services. For example, they hand out raincoats on rainy days, serve watermelon in summer, and hot beverages in winter," she said.
"We are working with more than 20 scenic spots province-wide in areas such as culture, tourism, sports, hospitality, and wellness to draw visitors year-round," she said.
The forum also showcased how sports energize the cultural tourism industry. Since launching in May 2025, the Jiangsu City Football League, also known as Suchao, has become a national sensation due to its high-quality viewing experience.
Jin Yangyang, deputy director of the Jiangsu Digital Culture and Smart Tourism Development Center, said in her speech that while ticket stubs for sporting events used to become invalid once the matches ended, Jiangsu has transformed them into a new gateway to boost tourism and consumer spending.
"Official data showed that for every 1 yuan ($0.15) spent on a Suchao ticket, about 7.3 yuan in consumption is generated," she said.
To sustain momentum, Jiangsu issued a policy in September to build a "ticket-stub economy" across culture, tourism, sports, and commerce.
Ticket stubs for concerts, music festivals and Suchao matches remain valid for 15 days before and after the event, including the event day. Across the province, viewers can enjoy discounts on entertainment tickets, scenic spot admissions, accommodation, cuisine, shopping, and transportation.
Tourists watch a performance at the park, which hosts the 2026 Weibo Travel Night and the "Voices of Henan" Cultural and Tourism Podcast Conference. CHINA DAILY
In recent years, more scenic areas and theme parks like Millennium City Park have attracted repeat visitors with immersive experiences, as NPC (non-player character) performers breathe life into Chinese history and classic literature characters.
"For today's tourists, emotional value outweighs cost-performance value," Leng Song, a researcher with the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in his speech.
He added that viewers are more likely to travel to the filming locations of TV dramas or movies when deeply touched by the plots or classic lines. Stories told with warm realism can easily strike a chord with audiences.
He suggested that tourist destinations should convert fleeting fame and online traffic into steady visitor arrivals. To do so, they must find common ground between a production's narrative and local culture for targeted promotion and operations. Scenic areas can also extend visitors' stays by offering photo spots and hands-on experiences.
Set in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the hit TV drama The Heir tells the story of Li Zhen, a talented young woman who carries on her family's ink-making tradition.
At one of the show's filming sites, Xidi village in Huangshan, Anhui province, tourists can participate in workshops and learn key techniques for crafting the famous Hui ink sticks. "Data showed that each visitor stays 15 minutes longer on average, leaving with valuable memories," Leng said.
