During the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, Qingdao saw a perfect blend of spring outings and healthy consumer spending. Outdoor activities drove strong sales in sportswear and camping gear.

Outdoor activities became the highlight of the holiday, directly boosting sales of outdoor gear and camping services. During the break, a shopping mall in Qingdao West Coast New Area (Qingdao WCNA) saw double-digit growth in both foot traffic and revenue, with sports brands leading the surge.

"We offer the most comprehensive selection of sports categories and brands in the Qingdao WCNA. Many visitors came to take photos of the seaside views and ended up buying the clothing and gear they needed for their outdoor trips," said a representative of the mall.

The surge in holiday travel also filled restaurants to capacity, with diners eager to try local flavors and seasonal spring dishes. Shuangheyuan, a well-known local restaurant in Qingdao, saw long queues, with waiting numbers exceeding 150 during peak hours. Many waited as long as 90 minutes for their signature fish dumplings.

Spring blossoms attracted many international visitors, especially from Thailand, where flowers like cherry and crabapple are rare. Foreign guests also contributed to rising sales at time-honored restaurants, with German and Russian tourists adding to the usual South Korean majority. 

From outdoor adventures to flower viewing, Qingdao's holiday market showed strong vitality. As the peak travel season unfolds, the city continues to introduce new opportunities for consumption.

During the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, Qingdao enjoyed a perfect blend of spring outings and strong consumer spending. [Photo/Guanhai News]