On October 8, the China News Agency reported some impressive statistics from the Henan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism regarding the recent National Day holiday. During this period, Henan Province welcomed a remarkable 79.92 million visitors, generating a significant tourism revenue of 56.59 billion yuan. This represents a 5.1% increase in visitor numbers and a 15.5% rise in tourism revenue compared to the same timeframe in 2023. Over the course of the seven-day holiday, the province organized an incredible 10,300 cultural events, with 8.239 million participants engaging both online and offline.
Red tourism emerged as a major highlight during the holiday, with numerous red-themed sites across Henan attracting 2.0375 million tourists. In Zhengzhou, thousands of university students gathered to climb Mount Song under the night sky, awaiting the sunrise in a symbolic celebration of the nation’s birthday. Meanwhile, at Mount Xuyun in Xiuwu County, tourists took to capturing the moment against a backdrop of fluttering red flags. At the Hongqi Canal Scenic Area in Linzhou, visitors joined together to hold a massive 20-meter-long national flag while singing “Ode to the Motherland,” and events including flash mobs, “Copper Man” performances, and the live show “Once Again at Hongqi Canal” drew over 20,000 spectators.
Museums and archaeological sites also saw a surge in visitors eager to explore the rich heritage of Chinese civilization and experience Central Plains culture. Public cultural venues in Henan recorded 3.818 million visits. The Luoyang Museum, for example, hosted a series of events titled “Celebrating Together in the Capital of the Imperials,” which offered guests a cultural extravaganza spanning several millennia. The Zhengzhou Dahe Village Archaeological Park’s event “Honoring the New Era with a Fresh Voice” allowed participants to experience traditional culture through interactive activities like movable type printing. The Zhengzhou Museum highlighted its exhibit “Majestic Treasures of the Shang Dynasty,” inviting visitors to delve deeper into China’s profound cultural legacy, while the Kaifeng Museum organized the “Experience the Song Dynasty Entrance Exam” challenge, immersing guests in the allure of Song Dynasty traditions.
The holiday also attracted many tourists to rural areas, where they sought the tranquility of nature and the charm of country life. Popular destinations included Daba Mountain, Taihang Mountain, Funiu Mountain, and both banks of the Yellow River, where visitors enjoyed hiking, chrysanthemum picking, and breathtaking autumn scenery. Renowned scenic sites like Mount Song, Wangwu Mountain, Baiyun Mountain, Yaoshan, and Jigong Mountain continued to draw crowds, with iconic locations such as the Shaolin Temple and Laojun Mountain even imposing visitor limits. In Huixian City, scenic areas like Baquan and Wuxianshan welcomed over 210 tour groups from South Korea, totaling 4,062 visitors; additionally, the Taihang Grand Canyon in Linzhou attracted around 2,000 South Korean tourists.
The performance scene in Henan thrived during the National Day holiday as well, featuring six concerts, 11 theatrical productions, including “Li Bai” and “A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains,” six family-oriented shows, 12 stand-up comedy performances, and five popular operas such as “Mulan” and “The Orphan of Zhao.” Various troupes, including the Henan Yu Opera Theatre and Zhengzhou Yu Opera Troupe, ventured into rural areas, thereby enriching the cultural life of local communities.
