An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows a view of the Great Tang All Day Mall in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)
BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The annual tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference vowed to vigorously boost consumption, improve investment efficiency, and expand domestic demand on all fronts next year.
While the country used to rely on investment and exports for economic expansion, consumption has increasingly played a predominant role in recent years under its strategy of advancing a "dual-circulation" development pattern, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while allowing domestic and international markets to reinforce each other.
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In the first three quarters of 2024, consumption contributed 49.9 percent of the country's economic growth, substantially surpassing investment and exports, which accounted for 26.3 percent and 23.8 percent, respectively.
Passengers check in at Lianyungang Railway Station in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Wang Jianmin/Xinhua)
China's railway network achieved a record-breaking number of trips in the first 11 months of the year, backed by stable economic recovery and a revitalized tourism industry.
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According to the China State Railway Group Co., the railway sector handled over 4 billion passenger trips from January to November, the first time this threshold has been reached within a year.
Passengers walk towards the exit at Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Oct. 6, 2024. (Photo by Liu Jianhua/Xinhua)
According to the data center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in the first three quarters of 2024, village tourism visits increased 15.5 percent yearly to about 2.25 billion, with total revenue up 9.8 percent year on year to 1.32 trillion yuan.
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Tourists enjoy tea and snacks at a homestay in Tianfu Town of Beibei District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Dec. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Chan)
Tourists enjoy their time at a homestay in Jinyun Village of Beibei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Oct. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)
People's interest in traditional cultural attractions was reflected in the travel boom, with many flocking to historical sites during this year's holidays.
While venturing to different places, many tourists picked up cultural and creative products as mementos of their trips, and more thoughtfully designed items have started to make their way to market.
A person holds a “Queen's Crown”-shaped ice cream at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
Visitors view cultural creative products at the exhibition stand of Tongzhou District of Beijing during the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) at the Shougang Park in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
Tourists shop at a cultural gifts store of the Grand Tang Mall, a Tang Dynasty-themed pedestrian area, in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)
Tourists select flowers on a street at night in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jingyi)
Tourists in traditional costumes pose for a group photo at Pingyao Ancient Town in Jinzhong City, north China's Shanxi Province, May 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)
Tourists visit a morning tea street at the Youbu ancient town of Lanxi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Lu Zhe)
People pose for photos in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Feb. 4, 2024. (Photo by Cai Zengle/Xinhua)
In this aerial drone photo, people holding festive lanterns parade at Hongcun Village of Yixian County, Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 15, 2024. Yixian County is noted for its “lantern gala,” an important folk event held during traditional festivals. (Photo by Shi Yalei/Xinhua)
A pair of twins play at a cultural and tourism site in Xinghua City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 11, 2024. (Photo by Zhou Shegen/Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic spot in the city of Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo by Zhang Xiaoliang/Xinhua)
In the first 11 months, retail sales of consumer goods totaled nearly 44.3 trillion yuan, up 3.5 percent year on year. Online retail sales of consumer goods stood at around 14 trillion yuan, up 7.4 percent.
In the same period, retail sales of food and drinks increased 5.7 percent year on year. In terms of consumer goods items, retail sales of sports and entertainment-related products saw the fastest growth rate of 10.5 percent year on year. Household appliances and audiovisual equipment saw a 9.6 percent growth in retail sales.
Customers enjoy malatang, a numbing-spicy hotpot, at a store in Qinzhou District of Tianshui City, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)
Tourists buy popsicles at the Central Street in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, May 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)
Tourists visit the Starlight Night Market in Jinghong City of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Dec. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
People shop at the new store of Costco in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)
People shop at Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
Buyers visits the exhibition section for household electrical appliances during the 136th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
An exhibitor promotes spices through live-streaming during the 9th China International Food and Catering Expo in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)■