Turning flower-viewing into a growth driver

Spring is the season when nature celebrates itself, and so do businesses. Millions of people travel across the country to partake of the gifts of spring, from cherry blossom to rapeseed blossom, and from apricot blossom to peach blossom. Recent years have seen the emergence of some new business models such as drone photography, hanfu rentals and flower field camping.

Government directives are encouraging a move away from isolated events toward a model where the simple act of flower-viewing evolves into an immersive experience. This new approach invites cities to reimagine traditional seasonal celebrations as dynamic, interconnected platforms for urban-rural development. Through policies aimed at merging cultural tourism with different industries, the authorities are not only celebrating nature's beauty but also developing innovative, sustainable economic ecosystems.

Across China, a vivid reimagining of urban space is underway. In Wuhan, Hubei province, for instance, the cherry blossom season has become a metaphor for transformation. At Wuhan's Qingchuan Pavilion, cherry blossoms and red brick walls create a stunning landscape, while in Optics Valley, 3D projections bring cherry blossoms to life amid skyscrapers. The city uses flowers to attract investments of more than 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) during the cherry blossom season. Wuhan has integrated cutting-edge technology into traditional cherry blossom-viewing, creating the first "perceptible tech-cherry blossom narrative chain" in China.