Guangzhou to launch Dragon Boat Festival consumption season

From January to May 2025, Guangzhou hosted over 1,000 themed events centered around four key programs: "Flower Market Stroll," " Pet Wonderland," "Canton Connection," and "Shared Voyage." In the first four months of the year, the city recorded a 4% year-on-year increase in total retail sales of consumer goods, leading among China's first-tier cities. During the May Day holiday, the number of inbound tourists rose by 35.2% year-on-year, further fueling the city’s consumption boom.

As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, Guangzhou will serve as the main venue for a series of events of the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Consumption Season, which officially kicks off on May 24th. Under the theme "Shared voyage: Cantonese charm along the Pearl River," the event will harness the cultural appeal of dragon boats to link food, cultural creativity, and family-friendly experiences through a water-based narrative, presenting a festive celebration rich in Lingnan charm, Chinese cultural elements, and international appeal.

During the festivities, Guangzhou will offer immersive experiences featuring Pearl River Cruises, themed markets, and performances of intangible cultural heritage. Highlights include creatively designed dragon boats by international brands, waterborne folk performances, interactive experiences on cruises inspired by traditional Chinese aesthetics, as well as Livehouse and trendy toys markets. Leading restaurants will launch special "Dragon Boat Feast"packages, while some commercial areas will integrate digital interactions and heritage-themed activities to create engaging consumer experiences.

To better serve international visitors, Guangzhou has specially introduced exclusive visa-free transit travel routes and partnered with airlines to offer bundled inbound travel packages such as "air ticket +hotel" and "air ticket + tourist attractions." The city is also expanding its departure tax refund program to include more product categories and retailers, incorporating more time-honored brands and new Chinese-style goods into the tax refund eligibility. The "Instant Tax Refund upon Purchase" service has also become more convenient.

Source:Lingnan on the Cloud

广州端午消费盛宴即将启幕

2025年1-5月，广州市围绕“行花街”“萌宠园”“广交汇”“同船渡”四大主题，开展系列活动超1000场次。1-4月，广州社零额同比增长4%，增速居一线城市首位；“五一”假期，境外游客同比增长35.2%，消费热潮不断攀升。

随着端午临近，广州将作为主会场，于5月24日启动2025大湾区消费季系列活动，“同船渡·粤韵广州”主题将借助龙舟文化的独特魅力，以水为脉，以舟为媒，串联美食、文创、亲子互动等多元场景，打造兼具“岭南韵、中国风、国际范”的消费盛宴。

活动期间，广州将结合珠江游船、主题市集、非遗展演等特色内容，为市民游客带来沉浸式体验。国际品牌创意龙舟、水上民俗展演、国风游船互动等亮点纷呈，Livehouse、潮玩市集轮番上演。重点餐饮商户将推出特色“龙舟宴”主题套餐，部分商圈还将结合数字互动、非遗体验等，打造趣味消费场景。

为了方便境外游客，广州特别开发过境免签专属旅游线路，联合航空公司推出入境游“机票+酒店”“机票+景点”等套票和折扣优惠。对离境退税商店拓品扩围，更多老字号、国潮新品纳入离境退税范围，“即买即退”服务更加便捷。

文、图 | 记者 孙绮曼 通讯员 穗商务宣

翻译 | 曾敏

英文审校 | 洪婷