Traditional dragon boat events spur Guangdong's cultural tourism economy
During the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Guangdong's tourism market was fueled by a focus on folk cultural experiences. The province saw a surge in tourism driven by dragon boat races and other intangible cultural heritage (ICH) events, blending tradition with the region's natural landscapes to create a new "cultural tourism" that attracted a large number of tourists. According to online travel platforms, folk activities such as dragon boat races and making zongzi fueled a boom in "ICH-themed tourism".
The Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament, the Shenzhen Greater Bay Area Dragon Boat Invitational Race, and other prominent events gained significant attention. The Foshan Diejiao Dragon Boat Drifting Race, dubbed the "aquatic F1", saw its thrilling videos garner over 100 million views. This drove a 167% surge in local tourism bookings, with significant increases in flight and hotel reservations for Foshan. Guangzhou's Liede Village hosted grand Dragon Boat feasts, which were commercially operated and opened to the public for the first time, expanding its influence beyond village boundaries. The Jiangmen International Dragon Boat Tournament attracted 36 teams, while the online viewership for races in Kaiping and Taishan exceeded 10 million.
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Data reveals that Guangdong received a total of 23.21 million tourists over the three-day Dragon Boat Festival, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%, with tourism revenue reaching 11.44 billion yuan, up by 25.6%. This formed a closed loop of "race-driven tourism converting to consumption".
Various regions also innovated with "Dragon Boat +" initiatives. For example, the Shenzhen Guanlan River Dragon Boat Race combined ICH exhibitions with sightseeing routes. Dongguan created the "Longest Dragon Boat Month", connecting various water town attractions. Guangzhou's Panyu district exported dragon boat models nationwide, while areas like Liede and Liwan developed distinctive cultural and creative products, revitalizing dragon boat culture for younger generations.
Tourism experts point out that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has three advantages for hosting dragon boat events: favorable climate, profound cultural roots, and high participation levels. Additionally, other ICH performances, such as the Shantou Yingge dance and Suixi-style lion dance, were equally captivating. Supported by media and social platforms, the charm of Guangdong's ICH, integrated with natural landscapes, continues to attract tourists from both home and abroad, with distinctive tourism routes that leave visitors spellbound.
传统龙舟“引爆”广东文旅经济新赛道
刚刚过去的端午假期，广东以民俗体验消费为核心亮点，多地龙舟竞赛等非遗活动点燃旅游市场，非遗与山水共塑文旅“引力场”，吸引大量游客来粤。在线旅游平台数据显示，赛龙舟、包粽子等民俗活动掀起“非遗旅游热”。
广州国际龙舟邀请赛、深圳粤港澳龙舟邀请赛等备受关注。佛山叠滘龙舟漂移大赛上演“水上F1”，炫技视频播放量破亿，带动当地旅游订单增长167%，佛山机票、酒店订单也大幅上涨；广州猎德涌千围龙舟宴首次全民开放，龙船饭商业化运营打破村落边界；江门潭江国际龙舟赛吸引36支队伍参赛，开平、台山龙舟赛事线上观看量超千万人次。
数据显示，端午三天广东累计接待游客2321万人次，同比增长20.6%，旅游收入114.4亿元，同比增长25.6%，形成“赛事引流 - 消费转化”闭环。
各地还创新“龙舟+”玩法。深圳观澜河龙舟赛结合非遗展演推打卡线路；东莞打造“最长龙舟月”，串联水乡景点；广州番禺的龙舟模型远销各地；猎德、荔湾等地开发特色文创产品，推动龙舟文化“年轻化”。
旅游专家指出，粤港澳大湾区举办龙舟活动具备气候适宜、底蕴深厚、参与度高三大优势。汕头英歌舞、遂溪鱼灯醒狮等非遗展演同样精彩。在媒体与社交平台助力下，岭南非遗与自然交融的魅力持续释放，吸引海内外游客，特色旅游线路令人流连忘返 。
文 | 记者 刘星彤
图｜记者 曾育文 钟振彬
译 | 黄宇洁
审校 | 林佳岱
