Longwan eyes culture, tourism flourish post Asian Games

As a host of this year's 19th Asian Games, Longwan district in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province is now fortifying its cultural and tourism appeal to attract tourists, boost consumption, and stimulate economic development.

The Wenzhou Olympic Sports Center in Longwan was a major venue during the Games and continues to play a crucial role after the event. According to Chen Xuexian, head of the district's culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau, the sports center has enlisted a professional company to oversee the transformation and utilization of the venue. It currently not only hosts sporting events but also cultural and tourism activities.

A Jeff Chang concert is held at the Wenzhou Olympic Sports Center. [Photo/Wenzhou News]

For instance, on Nov 25, a concert by Jeff Chang held at the sports center sold 34,000 tickets, with 50 percent of attendees from outside Wenzhou. A concert by Xue Zhiqian earlier drew 68,000 people, which resulted in an estimated income of 70 million yuan ($9.83 million) across the transportation, accommodation, and tourism sectors. The revenue exceeded that of this year's five-day May Day holiday, which stood at 27 million yuan.

In August, the Wenzhou High-Tech Cultural Square commenced operations in the central area of Longwan. With an investment of nearly 1 billion yuan and covering a total area of 80,000 square meters, the square features a large 1,216-seat theater and a small 311-seat theater. It caters to various types of performances, including dramas, musicals, ballets, symphonies, chamber music, and folk music. It is expected to host over 120 performances and events annually, and is the largest and most well-equipped cultural and commercial complex in Wenzhou.