Exhibition sparks consumption boom

The ongoing International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 Chengdu has sparked a tourism and consumption boom in the host city and neighboring areas with its diverse horticultural wonders and unique cultural experiences.

Data from leading Chinese online platforms Meituan and Dianping show that online searches for "international horticultural exhibition" have risen sharply since the expo kicked off on April 26 in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

The 186-day event showcases more than 500 distinctive plant species from five continents and over 60 local plant species, as well as gardening styles from 32 countries and regions.

The expo's main venue in the Chengdu Eastern New Area not only offers visitors a rich experience for shopping, entertainment, culture and food, but also hosts more than 2,000 all-age-friendly events throughout its duration.

Liu Dan, a visitor from the neighboring city of Mianyang, said the expo fulfilled her and her family's desire to travel the world in just one day.

"The expo not only displays flowers and gardening styles from around the world, but also provides opportunities for us to learn about the vibrant and diverse exotic cultures," she said.

Xue Zhen, owner of a gardening store at the expo's sub-venue in Chengdu's Pidu district, said she sells almost 2,000 pots of flowers a day.

"I have never seen so many customers in previous years. I am too busy to have my lunch," she said, holding a bowl of food that had turned cold.

Statistics from Pidu district show that Spring Garden Wonderland, which serves as the core exhibition area of the Pidu subvenue, received 647,900 visits from April 26 to May 25, generating sales revenue of 161 million yuan ($22.2 million) from April 26 to May 24.

As one of the largest flower and plant distribution centers in western China, the Spring Garden Wonderland boasts a floral market covering 130,000 square meters and houses more than 600 stores that sell over 30,000 product categories.

Zeng Kaicheng, deputy director of the district's flower and nursery association and promotion ambassador for the expo, said people used to attend horticultural exhibitions to view flowers, but now they go for outdoor tourism.

"The trend of deep integration between the flower industry and other sectors, such as culture, tourism, healthcare and education is becoming increasingly evident, which is expected to have a positive impact on the local consumption economy," he said.

At the sub-venue in Chengdu's Xinjin district, visitors are also showing great interest in agricultural experiences such as harvesting rapeseed, planting rice seedlings and catching fish in paddy fields.

A landscape art creation event held at the China Tianfu Agricultural Expo Park in Xinjin district on May 18 to 19 attracted the participation of more than 10,000 parents and children. They planted vast areas of rice seedlings in the paddy fields, which will gradually reveal landscapes such as musical notes and strings as they grow.

Wang Qianyi, an executive from the China Tianfu Agricultural Expo Park, said the park will organize agricultural experience activities throughout different farming seasons, allowing more young people to get close to the fields and nature.

Visitors can also learn about smart agriculture projects, including a photovoltaic power generation system combined with a fish farm, an LED-lit plant factory, and a smart pig-raising farm that uses AI to estimate weight.

The expo is expected to attract 5 million visitors, according to organizers.