A Blockbuster Holiday! 100+ Cultural and Tourism Events Heat Up Huli's May Day Market

Facing the sea where blossoms bloom year-round,

Embraced by lakes and hills, where life is Huli-bound.

This May Day holiday, Huli District centered around the theme "Joyful Xiamen, Delightful Huli," carefully preparing over 100 cultural and tourism feasts focusing on "culture," "public benefits," and "integration." Combined with three consumer-friendly initiatives including "cultural tourism vouchers," "commercial district promotions," and " Direct-to-Huli Shuttle," Huli has painted a new picture of culture, sports, tourism, and commerce that is "warm, story-filled, and vibrant."

From "viral check-in spots" to "immersive cultural experiences,"

from "daytime shopping" to "around-the-clock celebrations"...

during the May Day holiday,

Huli District has welcomed

over 1.35 million domestic and international visitors,

a 22% year-on-year increase,

with total tourism revenue reaching 1.37 billion yuan.

Huli is working to make culture the core,

service the link, and products the carrier,

turning one-time tourists into repeat regulars,

and transforming fleeting traffic into fixed urban vitality.

01 Culture-driven Tourism Boost

Huli has launched over 100 "culture + tourism" brand initiatives,

integrating diverse consumer experiences across various business sectors.

During this year's May Day holiday, Huli District has been featured multiple times on CCTV. "Xiamen Tour to Jinmen," "Time Meets Island," and "Xiamen International Cruise Terminal Welcoming Twin Cruise Ships for the First Time" attracted widespread coverage from over 100 mainstream media outlets, generating more than 10 million views. During this period, Huli has launched over 100 "culture + tourism" brand initiatives, integrating diverse consumer experiences across various business sectors, so that creative holiday experiences could be widely available for citizens and tourists..

Right before the holiday,

China's first Minnan-style immersive theme attraction

"Time Meets Island"

opened its reservation system for trial visits.

In just 15 minutes.

20,000 "experience officer" tickets were claimed.

Every day, over ten performances and 80 intangible cultural heritage experiences immersed participants in Minnan culture. During the holiday, "Time Meets Island" remained a major draw, welcoming over 20,000 citizens and tourists in total.

"This place is like a highly condensed museum of Minnan culture, with every building conveying a rich cultural atmosphere," praised veteran tour guide and social media influencer "One Head of Guide."

At the Huihe Stone Cultural Park,

the rhythmic sound of stone chiseling mingles with the aroma of tea.

Mr. Lin, a visitor from Kinmen, and his family

explored the site for a full day.

Events such as the cultural tourism carnival and stone engraving experiences

drew crowds of families with children to seek memorable impressions.

As night fell, the applause echoed through the "Hat's New Space" theater at G Art Park. The domestic avant-garde troupe "Magic Live" presented an immersive magical fairy tale, "Wishes Beyond the Horizon." "Watching this heartwarming, magical performance with my child reminded me of the beauty and preciousness of life," visitor Ms. Liu reflected emotionally.

With culture as a driving force, tourism becomes warmer and more vibrant. “We aim to build Huli’s tourism brand by deeply integrating culture so that traditional Chinese culture can be widely shared through the voices of tourists,” said a representative from the Huli District Bureau of Culture and Tourism. This is one of the future focuses for cultural tourism work, "Creating new cultural tourism IPs isn't simply about labeling, but about decoding dormant historical and cultural resources and transforming them into perceivable, consumable, and shareable creative tourism products," he said.

02 Thoughtful and Attentive Services

Huli District spares no effort

in caring for and serving its visitors.

Its services span dining, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping,

all delivered with warmth, enthusiasm, and sincerity.

A continuous stream of cultural and tourism benefit programs ensures visitors always feel welcome.

Among them, the frequently held "Direct-to-Huli Shuttle" initiative

has become a signature tourism IP,

bringing lasting benefits to tourists.

The "Direct-to-Huli Shuttle" offers complimentary shuttle services from numerous hotels to scenic spots and commercial areas, guaranteeing fast and convenient access to destinations and enhancing the comfort and ease of each journey. Each stop and shuttle is staffed with tour guides who distribute event flyers and provide detailed commentary services to passengers.

According to reports, during the May Day holiday, the "Direct-to-Huli Shuttle" operated 185 trips, shuttling nearly a thousand passengers. Cultural souvenirs such as the Huli Seed Flower Card and foldable fans were especially popular among tourists, while the attentive shuttle service earned praise from many international visitors. For self-driving tourists, Huli District has also offered free parking services.

      In Huli, generous subsidies extend across all areas, dining, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping. Before the holiday, the District launched exclusive cultural tourism vouchers for Huli, up to 400 yuan, allowing citizens and tourists to travel safely, confidently, and comfortably, fully enjoying Huli's breathtaking scenery.

03 Consumption Fever in Retail Hubs

On the first day of the May Day holiday,

the runway at Xiamen SM Supermall lit up under dazzling lights.

Models paraded wearing DR Paris Fashion Week jewelry with grace,

while sapphire sets from Chow Tai Fook

sparkled with waves of brilliance under the spotlight.

This jewelry and wedding dress show

was just a glimpse of Huli's May Day consumption glow.

On May 1, Xiamen Caitang Aegean Place Shopping Center officially opened, formerly the Caitang Plaza that carried many Xiamen residents' memories. On opening day, crowds surged before storefronts, with popular IP exhibitions, cultural creative markets, and other activities attracting citizens and tourists to check in.

Immersive experiences helped shoppers to compare options on-site. During the holiday, JD MALL, the first of its kind in Fujian, held a large-scale external exhibition at Wuyuan Bay Life Space in Huli, gathering more than 20 home appliance brands. "Taking advantage of the weather before it gets too hot, our family came here to check out new air conditioners," said Mr. Hong, a local resident. Appliances at the exhibition matched those online in pricing and offered trade-in options, providing greater value.

Throughout the May Day holiday, commercial centers across Huli, including Xiamen Sea World Shopping Center, Wanda Plaza Huli, Sasseur (Xiamen) Outlets, Xiamen Caitang Aegean Place Shopping Center, and Wuyuan Bay Rainbow, collectively fueled a consumption boom.

04 Brilliant Cultural Fusion

At the Amoy International Yacht Banquet,

a unique musical journey began

the moment visitors set foot on the yacht dock.

Young music producers from across the Strait

delivered flash mob performances one after another,

filling the place with romance and warmth.

Upon arrival in Huli, the feeling of home flows freely forward. The newly designed holiday-themed 3D Chinese character check-in points have been unveiled once again across popular destinations, such as Amoy International Yacht Banquet, Xiamen Sea World, Xiamen-Gulangyu Time Pier, and other locations, drawing tourists to stop and take photos. Meanwhile, the "Delightful Huli" map has been refreshed, with "City Brain" technology empowering the comprehensive upgrade of the "Delightful Huli" mini-program, now available in bilingual versions.

All along, Huli District has focused on leveraging its differentiated advantage of convenient cross-strait exchanges, strengthening its position as the "first stop" for Taiwanese compatriots and enterprises seeking to settle on the mainland. By promoting "Kinmen to see, Huli to stay" tourism and relying on the convenience and cost-effectiveness of the Xiamen-Kinmen "Mini Three Links" ferry route, Huli District effectively expands cross-strait tourism. Among key urban areas serving as first-entry points for inbound tourism, Huli District distinguishes itself through unique features and strengthened advantages.

Huli also continues to cultivate the "Traveling with the Event" brand. Just before the May Day holiday, the first "Wuyuan Bay Fun Run" series of activities lit up the bay area. Bringing sporting events "into scenic areas, into streets, into commercial districts" has become a vehicle platform that effectively mobilizes the masses to "travel with the event" and effectively stimulates the vitality of "sports + cultural tourism."

Huli's cultural and tourism sector capitalizes on the "long-tail effect" brought by the "Wuyuan Bay Fun Run" activity. Combined with the opportunity for international guests to stay in Huli for the Sudirman Cup, the District enhances the special service level of hotels, launching premium projects and consumption scenarios that integrate sports and tourism, such as the "Battle for Badminton Supremacy" Badminton Carnival, powerfully promoting the detailed implementation of "Traveling with the Event."