Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor fuels economy and inbound boom

The creation of the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor has been a key development strategy for Sichuan and Chongqing over the past five years. Since the strategy was first proposed in January 2020, the two major areas in southwest China have been working together to create premier tourist routes, host international tourism and consumption festivals, and develop cultural parks.

The term "Bashu" historically denotes the Sichuan Basin region, celebrated for its unique cultural heritage. Its heritage ranges from ancient sites like the Sanxingdui Ruins and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System to modern icons like hot panda IPs and spicy cuisine. Improving transportation between cities in the region and between the Sichuan-Chongqing area and other parts of China allows tourists to enjoy Bashu's rich ancient culture in museums and historic ruins while experiencing a modern lifestyle with spicy food, bustling markets, and creative cultural products.

Chongqing in particular has been capitalizing on its booming nighttime economy to create 15 national-level cultural and tourism consumption clusters to promote the integration of culture, travel, and commerce, and to build up the image of the city.

At night, there is much more for tourists to do in Chongqing than simply eat and shop. They can enjoy drone shows, listen to open-air concerts, take night museum tours, and browse through late-night bookstores.

The creation of these cultural and tourism clusters has boosted the local economy and increased inbound tourism. According to the Chongqing Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection Station, the number of foreigners entering China through Chongqing ports increased 2.6-fold year-on-year in 2024, surpassing 220,000 visits. In the first quarter of 2025, foreign visitor arrivals stood at around 140,000. According to a report published by the online travel hub Ctrip, half of these visitors chose to stay in Chongqing for between four and seven days.