Beijing’s parks saw a remarkable surge in visitors, reaching 3.26 million during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, despite a scorching heatwave, announced the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau. This figure represents a significant 61 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Among the popular destinations during the holiday were the Summer Palace, Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park, and Beijing Zoo, where visitors flocked to enjoy the festivities. To attract more visitors, a total of 69 cultural activities showcasing traditional folk customs and popular science exhibitions were organized across many parks.
The Dragon Boat Festival, known as Duanwu Festival in Chinese, is observed on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. On this day, people indulge in sticky rice dumplings called zongzi and witness thrilling dragon boat races. Over time, it has transformed into a national holiday.
Despite the persistently high temperatures in Beijing throughout the festival, with the mercury reaching a scorching 41.1 degrees Celsius at a southern meteorological station on Thursday, the second-highest recorded temperature in reliable records, according to the Beijing Meteorological Service, visitors persevered to enjoy the holiday.
To combat the heat and attract tourists, Beihai Park, Fragrant Hills, and Yuyuantan Park organized a range of cultural activities during the evening hours. Beijing Zoo even launched special ice pops featuring giant pandas, providing a refreshing treat for visitors.
During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Beijing’s 216 key scenic areas recorded over 5.18 million tourist arrivals and generated more than 309 million yuan (approximately 43 million U.S. dollars) in revenue. These figures reflect a 2.1 percent increase in tourist arrivals and a 5.8 percent increase in revenue compared to the same period in 2019, as reported by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. The positive growth indicates a strong recovery in the tourism sector following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the scorching heat, the allure of cultural activities and the festive atmosphere of the Dragon Boat Festival attracted a significant number of visitors to Beijing’s parks, contributing to the city’s vibrant tourism industry and showcasing the resilience of its residents and visitors alike.
