With Spring Festival approaching, Liaocheng in East China's Shandong province has launched a consumption season ahead of Chinese New Year in an effort to boost consumption.

Speaking at the launch ceremony of the consumption season on Jan 18, Cui Xingfei, director of the city's Bureau of Commerce, said that this consumption season, running until the end of March, involves 66 large-scale promotional events, with thousands of businesses including commercial streets, shopping malls, automotive, home appliances, restaurants, e-commerce, real estate, and tourist attractions actively participating.

The local government has allocated a total of 4.38 million yuan ($600,000) for consumer vouchers. As of Jan 1, around 1.38-million-yuan-worth of vouchers had been distributed around the Smart Business District on Liuyuan Road, with 13 large shopping malls and 328 merchants participating. The vouchers will be distributed every Friday on the UnionPay platform until Lantern Festival.

An additional 3-million-yuan-worth of vouchers will be distributed soon, focusing on restaurants and retail businesses in the main urban area. Moreover, a total of 30 million yuan in consumer subsidies will be provided through partnerships with Construction Bank of China, Huaxia Bank, and various trade and logistics enterprises.

The focus of the consumption season is to create a festive atmosphere, offer diverse opportunities for consumption, ensure a rich supply of goods, and offer a wide array of activities. The main urban areas will host 30 thematic events, while each county and district will simultaneously conduct a variety of consumer promotion activities.

The comsumption season events kickstart festive atmosphere in Liaocheng, Shandong province. [Photo/Liaocheng Daily]