Sichuan to enhance quality, capacity of panda-themed tourist trains

Sichuan will ramp up efforts to enhance the quality and capacity of its panda-themed tourist trains, aiming to make them a signature attraction for the province's cultural and tourism consumption, local authorities said.

The panda trains are expected to make over 60 trips this year, serving more than 21,000 passengers, said Hui Zhaoxu, director of the Sichuan provincial commerce department, at a news conference on Wednesday in Chengdu, the Sichuan capital.

Sichuan is home to giant pandas. The themed trains are decorated with giant panda images and the province's unique cultural elements.

Since their debut in 2021, the panda trains have operated various routes to over 30 destinations, including Guizhou, Yunnan, Shandong, Gansu, and Heilongjiang provinces, according to the Sichuan Southwest Rail International Travel Agency.

Tour packages for the panda trains include train tickets and a comprehensive array of services such as accommodation, dining, shuttle transfers and admission to scenic spots, the travel agency said.

Hui said the province will develop targeted tourism products for different consumer groups to turn Sichuan's cultural tourism boom into consumption growth. A key focus will be on optimizing panda trains for senior travelers.

The newly launched "Jinxiu Shanhe·Minjiang" train, which left Chengdu for Yining, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Monday, saw 83 percent of its passengers aged 60 or above, he said.

Another train named "Chengdu", which began its inaugural journey on May 18, had over 60 percent of its passengers aged 60 or above. Notably, more than 60 percent of the passengers were international visitors.

Currently, over 80 percent of this year's panda train tour packages have been sold, with some popular routes selling out through October, Hui added.

To boost cultural and tourism consumption, Hui said Sichuan will develop 40 new consumption scenarios annually.

He noted that the province will expand the instant tax refund policy to more stores and boost offerings of premium local goods, to stimulate spending by inbound tourists.

Official data show that Chengdu airports have handled 333,000 foreign visitors this year, up 59.9 percent year-on-year. Both tax refund sales and amount of tax refunds in the province have increased over 200 percent year-on-year.