The historic coastal city of Quanzhou is experiencing an unprecedented tourism resurgence, with over 10.12 million visits recorded during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday. With tourism revenue soaring to 10.1 billion yuan (nearly $1.4 billion USD), the city has firmly positioned itself as a top travel destination in China, leading Mafengwo’s 2025 Top 10 Hottest Festive Towns list.

Traditional Performing Arts Drive Quanzhou’s Cultural Appeal

Cultural tourism is at the heart of Quanzhou’s booming travel industry, with traditional Chinese performing arts captivating a new generation of visitors.

  • The Marionette Theatre of Quanzhou drew over 30,000 spectators across 94 performances, generating 2 million yuan in ticket sales. Amid soaring demand, the number of daily shows rose to seven performances per day, with online tickets selling out instantly.
  • Liyuan Opera and Gaojia Opera, both classified as intangible cultural heritage, staged over 300 performances that resonated with young audiences, reinforcing the timeless appeal of traditional Chinese theater.

Cultural IPs Fuel Economic Growth & Creative Innovation

Beyond performances, Quanzhou’s cultural heritage is transforming into an economic powerhouse, as cultural intellectual properties (IPs) create new revenue streams.

  • The green snake sculpture at Quanzhou Confucius Temple, inspired by local folklore, sparked 1 million yuan in plush toy and souvenir sales, proving how heritage can drive commercial success.
  • Local brands like Peak Group introduced artistic installations such as the “seven-color coral-bean snakes”, turning Quanzhou’s historic sites into interactive attractions.

Heritage Tourism Boosts Cultural Preservation & Innovation

Quanzhou’s tourism gains are directly fueling the revival and modernization of its cultural legacy:

  • The Quanzhou string puppet troupe reinvests its earnings into technological innovation and facility upgrades, ensuring the ancient art form’s survival in a digital age.
  • Traditional 800-year-old local music is being modernized and performed internationally, taking the sounds of Quanzhou from Shanghai to London.

Quanzhou’s Record-Breaking Year in Tourism

As one of China’s oldest and most culturally rich cities, Quanzhou continues to set new tourism milestones:

  • 100 million tourists visited Quanzhou in 2024, marking a 20.8% year-on-year increase.
  • Tourism revenue skyrocketed to 121.14 billion yuan (nearly $16.7 billion USD), significantly boosting the transportation, hospitality, and catering industries.

By seamlessly integrating heritage with tourism, Quanzhou has forged a sustainable tourism model that balances economic growth with cultural revitalization.

The post Quanzhou’s Tourism Boom: How Southeast China’s Historic Port City is Revitalizing Cultural Heritage and Driving Record-Breaking Travel Growth appeared first on Travel And Tour World.