Wuhan Open spurs spending boom

For years, when Vietnamese businessman Dang Phu visited China in autumn, his destination was always the Canton Fair. This year, he and two colleagues arrived three days earlier than usual to watch some of the world's best women's tennis players in action.

"We wanted to see top players compete in person and experience the atmosphere," Dang said.

The Wuhan Open, the season's final WTA 1000 event, was held at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center from Oct. 10 to 18, drawing 105 players from 38 countries and regions.

An inside view of the Optics Valley International Tennis Center in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. (Photo: CFP)

In previous years, the tournament coincided with "Golden Week," the weeklong Chinese National Day holiday in early October that drives a surge in travel and shopping across China. This year, the event fell outside the holiday period, yet it drew a record 202,700 spectator visits, 52,700 more than last year.

An assessment by organizers put the tournament's overall economic benefits at about 890 million yuan (around 133 million U.S. dollars), up 26.24 percent from a year earlier.

Dang's detour reflects how professional sports are creating new reasons for people to travel and new opportunities for cities to attract consumers beyond traditional holiday peaks.

TENNIS FUELS TOURISM

Much of the tournament's appeal comes from a growing community of fans who follow the sport beyond their hometowns. According to organizers, visitors from outside Wuhan accounted for 48 percent of this year's spectators.

At the Wuhan Open, spectators could be seen carrying rackets and wearing tennis outfits, with some arriving with plans to play as well as watch.

Cui Guorong, a tennis enthusiast from Chengdu in southwest China, bought tickets for three days with her doubles partner. Afterward, they planned to travel to nearby Xianning for an amateur event organized by the International Tennis Federation.

Cui has built her travels around tennis in recent years, watching tournaments in London and Paris, as well as in cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Huangshan and Wenzhou.

"I came here both to watch matches and to play," Cui said, who practiced tennis in the morning and watched professional players in the afternoon and evening sessions.

"At my age, there are some techniques I can't master myself, but watching these players still gives me inspiration, and is a pleasure in itself," she added.

For fans like Cui, the Wuhan Open is more than a ticketed event. It becomes the centerpiece of a trip, with practice sessions and amateur competitions extending their stays and spending in the region.

FROM MATCH TICKETS TO SHOPPING BAGS

Local authorities and businesses have been working to harness the enthusiasm and spread its economic benefits beyond the stadium.

Hubei Province issued 20 million yuan in consumer vouchers, while Wuhan offered another 10 million yuan in sports vouchers. Other initiatives included tennis-themed travel itineraries, discounts for visitors presenting match tickets and live screenings in shopping districts.

Outside the tennis center, a fan festival covering about 10,000 square meters brought together more than 100 stalls selling sports equipment, local specialties, food, drinks and other goods.

At a stand for Tim Hortons, the Canadian coffee chain, drinks passed through the service window one after another as customers queued in long lines.

"The tournament offered an opportunity to boost both sales and brand recognition," said Wang Xiuping, the brand's regional operations manager for Hubei and neighboring Hunan province, adding that the successful try in Wuhan encouraged the company to participate in more sporting events in China.

At a temporary Wilson store, customers crowded around displays of tennis rackets, comparing models and seeking advice. Some out-of-town visitors arranged to have their purchases shipped home.

Sales at the store rose 10 percent from the same period last year, said Ye Xiufeng, who managed the stall.

The tournament's reach also extended into the evenings. Large screens in major shopping centers broadcast matches alongside amateur tennis challenges and other activities. Organizers said the "second-screen venues" attracted 12 million visits and generated nearly 300 million yuan in consumer spending during the event.

BUILDING A MARKET BEYOND NINE DAYS

The longer-term question is whether a major tournament can do more than create a temporary spending surge. An amateur team competition held alongside the Wuhan Open at the same tennis center offered one answer.

As Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko faced a British opponent in the tournament's semifinals, three outdoor courts nearby hosted the finals of the Wuhan Open city club circuit, an amateur team competition that has been running for more than a decade.

The circuit held qualifying events in seven cities this year, drawing more than 2,100 players from about 150 clubs across China.

Liu Fen, president of Wuhan's Chongren Tennis Club, whose team finished second, said playing on the same grounds as world-class athletes brought a special sense of pride.

"As amateur players, sharing the same grounds with the world's top players fills us with a tremendous sense of fulfillment and pride," Liu said.

She has witnessed how the sport has grown in Wuhan over more than a decade. Her club started with just one court and a dozen members.

"After Li Na won her Grand Slam title, more and more people started playing tennis. After Zheng Qinwen won Olympic gold in 2024, the number of players grew many times over, and courts began springing up everywhere," Liu said.

The club now has 365 members, more than 100 of whom gathered at the tournament venue each day during the Wuhan Open.

"For local tennis amateurs, Wuhan Open is an annual celebration. The exciting matches and warm atmosphere make us want to come every day. We often start watching at 11 a.m. and stay until 11 p.m.," Liu said.

The enthusiasm is already carrying into next year. After the club circuit's finals, members began preparing for the next edition.

"Everyone is even more motivated after this year's finals. We hope to have more teams reach the finals next year and show the world what amateur players like us can do," Liu said.