China launches service consumption festival to boost consumer spending

Beijing (ANTARA) - China has launched a service consumption festival, a market-based initiative led by the China International Electronic Commerce Centre to encourage service consumption during the summer and autumn.

Carrying the theme “Quality Services for a Better Life”, the festival primarily takes place during the summer, in July and August, and continues through the traditional peak shopping season in September and October.

A number of leading lifestyle service platforms are participating in the event, including JD.com, Meituan, Trip.com Group, Damai, WeChat, Alipay and Douyin.

These platforms will use digital and smart technologies to deliver a range of promotions that benefit consumers across key service sectors, including catering and accommodation services, household services, transport, vehicle care, cultural performances, tourism and recreation, health services, and consumption services for inbound tourists.

The festival aims to optimise resource allocation and match supply and demand more precisely, with particular attention to family travellers, the elderly and children, as well as foreign tourists. It will also strengthen the promotion of outstanding cultural and tourism resources to overseas markets, improve service guidance for inbound tourist consumption, and enhance the convenience of the payment system for foreign visitors.

The initiative also aims to integrate online and offline consumption scenarios, promote cross-sector integration across services, and improve service quality through the use of digital technology and the application of industry standards.