Tourism

A sculpture (left) by artist Chen Wenling, and an Ant Group Co. mascot at the company's headquarters in Hangzhou, China, on 2 August 2021. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

China targets payments problem to win over foreigners

Despite China waiving visa requirements for citizens from over a dozen more countries and making local digital payment services more international-user friendly, flights and the flow of visitors from countries such as the US are still nowhere near 2019 levels.
Visitors enjoy hotpot at the largest underground hot pot restaurant in Chongqing, China, on 27 October 2023. (CFOTO via Reuters Connect)

[Video] Chongqing's bustling ‘underground businesses’

Dubbed the "8D magical mountain city", Chongqing is famous for its complex and perplexing urban landscape. You may have seen one of its trains passing through a residential building or the deepest metro station in China, but have you heard of its underground city?
People walk at a shopping mall in Beijing, China, on 16 January 2024. (Pedro Pardo/AFP)

Xiaohongshu’s push to make users spend on its platform

Launched in 2013 as a place for users to share things like travel and beauty tips, and acting as a conduit for lifestyle reviews, Xiaohongshu is again reshuffling its e-commerce ventures, hoping to transform into an e-commerce platform.
The photo taken on 7 January 2024 shows a woman posing for photos next to a poster of Chinese television series Blossoms Shanghai. (AFP)

TV series Blossoms Shanghai fuelling city's consumption boom: Will it last?

One of Shanghai’s commercial areas has seen a boost in consumption since the New Year, partly driven by the popularity of the Blossoms Shanghai television series. Even as consumption returns to pre-pandemic levels, officials will need to do more to ensure that this recovery remains sustainable over the long term. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing tells us more.
Visitors walk past ice sculptures at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China, 24 December 2023. (Liz Lee/Reuters)

[Video] China's Harbin pampering visitors to win tourism battle

Harbin has seen an explosion of tourists this Chinese New Year season, and it is pulling out all the stops to welcome them, sometimes to the chagrin of locals. However, can this wave of tourism be sustained, and improve Harbin’s economy? Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Daryl Lim takes a trip to China’s land of snow and ice.
The Melaka Gateway project has been reduced in scale to a cruise terminal. (Screenshot from YouTube/SZ - Eagle Eye Studiors)

Malaysia's Melaka Gateway project: Scaled-down ambitions

Melaka Gateway, earlier touted as a mega project that would generate substantial economic benefits, fresh foreign direct investment and access to technical know-how from China, is now a shadow of its former self. There remains, however, significant challenges for the envisioned cruise terminal.
Customers wait outside a restaurant at a shopping mall in Shenzhen, China, on 19 January 2024. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Hong Kongers flock to Shenzhen for value-for-money CNY reunion dinners

As the Chinese New Year approaches, many Hong Kongers have the tradition of travelling to Shenzhen to enjoy reunion dinners at lower cost with better service compared with back home. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Daryl Lim speaks with diners and restaurant managers to find out more about this trend during the festive season.
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu (centre) leaves his inauguration ceremony in Male on 17 November 2023. (Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP)

Ripples in Maldives-India relations: The China factor

Mohamed Muizzu, the newly elected president of the Maldives, seems to be pivoting away from India and moving closer to other sources of support, such as the Arab countries and China. With a wary eye on China's ambitions in the Indian Ocean, India is expected to push back strongly.
People pose during the Rock Home Town festival in Shijiazhuang, China on 4 September 2023. (Andrea Verdelli/Bloomberg)

China's red-hot concert market is driving tourism consumption

Following the pandemic, pent-up demand for live concerts is driving up ticket prices to astronomical levels. Amid a less than encouraging economy, people are generally cutting down on non-essential spending, but the hope is that concerts will encourage travel and consumption and revitalise the economy. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing takes a closer look at the situation.