Hit TV show sees droves of tourists flocking to prefecture

The popularity of the television series To the Wonder, which is set in Altay prefecture in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has generated great interest in the area and made it a sought-after travel destination.

Since the show premiered in May, picturesque Habahe county has seen a surge in visitors eager to explore the stunning alpine meadows and landscapes featured in the series. In late August, tourists flocked to the area, swarming a reproduction of the show's iconic grocery store where some of the protagonists made a living.

The local culture and tourism bureau has accurately recreated the store with vintage beds, faded wall art, and cabinets with peeling paint. A nearby tree with hanging horse skulls echoes a touching plotline of the show.

Coffee truck operator Li Shiqi and his wife drove to the scenic spot from Southwest China's Yunnan province in mid-May when the TV series had just debuted.

"As we had just arrived, the scene (from the show) hadn't been set up and few visitors came. Starting from May 20, more and more fans visited because of the drama," Li said, adding that they were also attracted to the spot by the TV program.

Li set up his business at the scenic spot, and at peak times sold 60 to 70 cups of coffee a day, with the nearby parking lot struggling to accommodate the influx of tourists.

Despite the increasing number of visitors to the prefecture, the profits from the coffee truck were not as good as they had been in Yunnan, as "people here prefer salty milk tea", Li said.

However, the couple plans to stay in Altay through the autumn to enjoy the seasonal views.

Sun Lin, who drove from East China's Zhejiang province to Altay in late August, said she couldn't wait to visit the prefecture after watching the show.

"Seeing the grocery store in person has brought the show to life. The set design is so thoughtful," she said.

The number of daily tourists has soared, with an average of over 1,000 visitors on weekdays, and more than 3,000 on weekends or holidays, according to Su Qiuxia, deputy manager of a local tourism development corporation.

Travel agencies have capitalized on the show's popularity by offering themed tours, including day trips to pastures and two-day excursions to Kanas scenic area.

The tourism season in Altay has arrived two months earlier than usual this year thanks to the TV series, according to local authorities.

As of September, Habahe county has welcomed approximately 3.27 million tourists this year, a 69.5 percent year-on-year increase, and generated tourism revenue of 2.1 billion yuan ($300 million), a rise of 57.9 percent, it said.

Delida Nabi, director of the bureau of culture, sports, radio, television and tourism in Altay prefecture, said last year the prefecture hosted 31.5 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 74.8 percent. Revenue generated by tourism hit 27.5 billion yuan, marking an 80.7 percent rise.

"We will accelerate the development of a new model that integrates tourism with other industries to foster new growth momentum and advantages for high-quality development," she said.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn