China launches service consumption festival to boost spending

China has launched the service consumption festival, a market-driven initiative led by the China International Electronic Commerce Center to boost service consumption during the summer and autumn seasons.

Themed "Quality Services for a Better Life," the festival primarily covers the summer months of July and August and extends into the traditional peak shopping season of September and October.

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

The platforms will leverage digital and intelligent technologies to offer promotions that benefit consumers across key service sectors including catering and accommodation, housekeeping, transportation, automotive care, cultural performances, tourism and leisure, healthcare, and inbound consumption services.

The festival aims to optimize resource allocation and precisely match supply with demand, with special focus on family travelers, the elderly and young children, as well as inbound tourists. It will also strengthen overseas promotion of premium cultural and tourism resources, improve service guidance for inbound consumption, and enhance payment convenience for international visitors.

The initiative seeks to integrate online and offline consumption scenarios, foster cross-sector integration across services, and enhance service quality through digital empowerment and industry standards. ■