How do Chinese cities capitalize on going viral?

In 2023, "Zibo barbecue" soared during the Qingming holiday, capturing the attention of travelers nationwide. Yet, as quickly as it rose, its popularity waned, mirroring the fate of other internet-famous destinations like Harbin's ice and snow and Tianshui's malatang.

However, after concerted efforts by local authorities and residents, Zibo barbecue experienced a resurgence during this year's Qingming holiday, signaling a promising new chapter. Experts have predicted that the city may usher in a tourism peak during the coming May Day holiday.

Zibo's popularity reminds people of other destinations in China that have previously captured internet stardom: Tianshui in Gansu Province, Changsha in Hunan Province, Litang in Sichuan Province and Harbin in Dongbei Province. From major cities to small towns, from traditionally defined urban-rural transition areas to newly recognized "first-tier" cities, even lesser-known places can suddenly draw huge attention from the internet.

The frenzy of such internet-famous economies has sparked ongoing debates on the sustainability of these cities, as sudden and rapid fame is often followed by quickly waning interest. How do these cities attract tourists? It seems they have their art. But how to turn the booming traffic into sustainable growth is still the biggest question.

Zibo's return to the limelight

Most locals seem happy enough about the influx of visitors, according to Xu Ruiyue, whose hometown is Zibo and now lives in Beijing. She told CGTN that she is not surprised to see tourists come back to her hometown this spring since it is the right time for barbecue. 

"During the Qingming holiday, many old restaurants and barbecue restaurants downstairs in our community were crowded with people," she said. 

Internet-famous travel destinations thrive on social media buzz. Food blogger Hou Lei, who lives in Qingdao, another city in Shandong Province, can no longer remember how many times he has visited Zibo this year since Zibo went viral on social media.

Proud that his videos have played a part in the success of several stalls selling purple rice cake, a specialty snack in Zibo, he told CGTN that he now even knows more about Zibo's cuisine than many locals.

As a participant, promoter and witness to the popularity of Zibo's barbecue during this year of booming success, Hou believes the straightforwardness and sincerity of the people in Zibo are the bedrock of their sustained popularity.

"The waiters in the barbecue restaurant there do not perform perfunctory things but take care of their stall business; restaurant prices haven't gone up despite the surge in tourists; to provide an excellent travel experience to the tourists, every citizen in Zibo becomes a volunteer, putting in their best effort for their city," he said.

Fusion of culture and tourism

No matter the reason why an internet-famous travel city gains traction online, it tries to find ways to provide tourists with more than just the fleeting allure of being in a "trending city." To achieve the goal, some cities are opting for the path of cultural and travel integration.

During the Spring Festival holiday of 2024, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province, an already well-renowned tourism hub, saw a surge in popularity thanks to the hit drama "Going to a Windy Place," which was filmed there.

The idyllic scenery and unhurried lifestyle depicted in the drama proved to be a soothing balm for audiences. In addition, the local intangible cultural heritage, like embroidery and wood carving, traditional national clothing and flavored snacks, has also been prominently displayed, playing a comprehensive role in boosting the Dali cultural tourism industry.

Such was the impact of the drama that local officials went as far as issuing a statement praising the drama for its significant contribution to the local tourism industry.

Following the drama's airing, the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism organized a series of cultural tourism-themed activities, showcasing local cuisine and folk culture, to further promote the region's unique offerings to visitors. According to the statistic provided by the local department, Yunnan Province received the second most tourists in the nation, with a tourism revenue of 38.4 billion yuan ($5.35 billion) during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday. Dali itself received 4.24 million tourists, marking a remarkable 219 percent increase compared to the previous year.

"Culture is the soul of a city," Huang Zhuowei, an associate professor at the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University, said, suggesting the importance of preserving a city's history and cultural heritage for its sustained development.

"From a sociological perspective, terms like 'McDonaldization' and 'Disneytization' underscore the risk of standardization eroding individuality." The proliferation of repetitive urban designs can lead to aesthetic fatigue among tourists, she said, highlighting the necessity of strengthening the city's uniqueness to invigorate its vitality.

"As social media trends fade into obscurity, maintaining enduring appeal requires a steadfast focus on local culture and its inhabitants, which cannot be replicated," Huang observed. She also stressed to CGTN the significance of showcasing attractions imbued with local characteristics, which resonate authentically with visitors.

Big question: turning traffic into sustainable growth

For a city suddenly gaining a lot of attention, the question ahead is how to seize the opportunity, converting online data traffic into long-term popularity and sustained development.

In Zibo, every citizen played a part during the period of sudden popularity. In 2003, Zibo's GDP surpassed 100 billion yuan. Despite this milestone, economic growth has slowed due to resource depletion and environmental challenges. The sudden internet popularity makes every Zibo citizen feel excited, seeing new economic prospects.

"Every night, I stay up late on Douyin and other social media platforms to answer questions for online friends, send pancakes to strangers, and drive to offer free rides to tourists," a netizen named Wugulasao said. "The entire city's population was mobilized to support this surge, reminiscent of the whole city working together to relieve the flood disaster in 1998."

Following the popularity of Zibo barbecue, Ma Xiaolei, the secretary of the Zibo Municipal Party Committee, visited Peking University and Tsinghua University to expound on its youth talent policies and attract talents.

"Zibo is the third provincial-level city in Shandong Province, located in the heart of the Qilu region. It is renowned domestically and internationally as a city of ceramics, chemical industry and new materials," Ma told the students.

"For individuals, choosing the right city is serendipitous; for a city, encountering exceptional individuals is a stroke of luck."