According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China's emerging consumer patterns demonstrated robust growth in the first half of the year. The transaction volume on cultural and sports service platforms rose by 9.7% year-on-year, while sales revenue from immersive experiences such as theatrical performances and museums surged by 28.3% and 24.6%, respectively. As household consumption upgrades accelerate, the concentrated release of demand for experiential and immersive consumption is becoming a key driver for expanding and enhancing domestic demand, as well as smoothing the economic cycle.

New demand leads to new supply. The shift in consumption stems from evolving demand. Yang Mu, Director of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce, stated that China's consumer market has entered a development stage where both goods and services are valued. Demand for service consumption in areas such as cultural tourism and sports continues to expand, with experiential and quality-oriented trends becoming the core direction of consumption upgrades. This demand upgrade has directly fueled the experiential consumption sector. In the first half of the year, major concerts and music festivals remained highly popular. Cross-sector industrial collaborations emerged frequently, and composite consumption spaces centered on performing arts content accelerated their development, shifting consumption from one-time visits to repeated experiences. Cities like Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chengdu have cultivated new immersive performance spaces, creating a popular new format for "urban micro-travel." Immersive experiences in museums and cultural heritage sites have also become a new hotspot. In the first half of 2024, Shanghai's museums hosted 541 exhibitions, attracting nearly 15 million visitors. Major cultural exhibitions have become "cultural anchors" for city-wide tourism. In Zhejiang Province, the Liangzhu Museum launched a full-museum AI glasses smart guide service in June 2024, equipped with a cultural knowledge base, multi-turn question capabilities, and real-time multilingual switching, effectively allowing cultural relics to "speak." Public demand for visits has shifted from superficial check-in tours to deep cultural experiences and emotional connection. Digital exhibition upgrades have further enhanced the cultural communication power and consumption appeal of these venues.

The upgrade of experiential consumption drives the extension of the entire consumption chain. In Jiangsu Province, the "Su Chao" football matches have boosted consumption in sectors like dining and accommodation. In Kaifeng, Henan Province, the Wanshan Wuxia City (Wanshan Martial Arts Town) focuses on immersive martial arts themes, integrating nearly 100 live-action performances throughout the day to connect the entire tour route. Interactive experiences cover every node of the scenic area, driving a simultaneous rise in consumption from surrounding dining, accommodation, and cultural creative products. China's per capita GDP has remained above $13,000 for two consecutive years, placing the country in a critical window for consumption structure upgrades. The shift in consumer focus from material possession to experiential feelings, and from single material satisfaction to diverse spiritual experiences, reflects an objective trend where consumption demand evolves from survival and functional types to development and enjoyment types. Continuous innovation and iteration on the supply side, precisely matching market demand, effectively translates residents' willingness to upgrade consumption into market expansion growth.

Multi-dimensional Efforts to Unleash New Momentum

Since the start of this year, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance have been advancing pilot projects for new consumption formats, models, and scenarios, strengthening the foundation for the expansion of emerging consumption patterns. Data shows that local governments have submitted over 6,000 projects, expected to drive social investment of more than 300 billion yuan, with an initial 8.6 billion yuan in support funds already disbursed. Zuo Xiaobo, Deputy Director of the Department of Trade in Services at the Ministry of Commerce, noted that the pilot projects cover a permanent resident population of over 480 million, indicating strong market vitality and significant growth potential. Consumption scenarios serve as spatial carriers for the matching of supply and demand. The construction of immersive and interactive spaces effectively translates potential consumption willingness into actual consumption behavior. Driven by policies, traditional shopping malls, key commercial districts, and pedestrian streets are accelerating their upgrades and iterations. A batch of themed and differentiated multi-functional consumption scenarios are rapidly emerging. In Beijing's Xicheng District, Zhonghai Daji Lane integrates traditional *siheyuan* (courtyard houses) into a modern commercial space. Since its opening, it has attracted over 20 million visitors cumulatively, with total sales exceeding 900 million yuan. Digital technology injects new vitality into consumption innovation, enriching experiential forms, enabling personalized supply, and further improving the efficiency of supply-demand matching. In June 2024, the Ministry of Commerce and seven other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of 'AI + Consumption'." This document proposes promoting the integration of artificial intelligence with technologies such as brain-computer interfaces, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), and developing a range of internationally leading new products with high consumption potential. Currently, China's VR films are transitioning from technological exploration to mass market application. Data from the China Film Administration shows that as of the end of March, over 200 VR films had been registered nationwide. The 7,188 registered museums across the country are leveraging digital technology to upgrade visitor experiences. From phased pilot projects to medium- and long-term institutional arrangements, the support system for supply-side reforms in new consumption patterns is continuously being strengthened. The recently approved "15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption" by the State Council provides a comprehensive roadmap from multiple dimensions, including scenario upgrades, format innovation, and standard improvement, outlining a clear path for the medium- and long-term development of new consumption patterns.

Supply-Demand Alignment Requires Further Improvement

Compared to traditional physical consumption, the chain of new consumption patterns extends beyond single transaction limits, encompassing scenario experiences, derivative consumption, and social sharing. This allows it to link multiple sectors such as commerce, trade, cultural tourism, and technology, while revitalizing idle spaces like old neighborhoods and traditional commercial districts. Beyond its own scale expansion, its value lies in driving the synergistic development of upstream and downstream industries through a multiplier effect, continuously solidifying the role of consumption in driving the economic cycle. However, it must be noted that the alignment of supply and demand in new consumption patterns still has room for improvement. Jiang Zhao, a researcher at the Institute of Circulation and Consumption, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, under the Ministry of Commerce, believes that immersive experience projects generally require large upfront investments and high costs for content iteration. They also depend on visitor density and consumption capacity, making them more feasible in core cities with stronger spending power. Meanwhile, commercial supporting facilities and professional talent reserves in county-level markets are relatively weak. The experiential needs of the elderly and parent-child groups have unique characteristics, making it challenging to provide perfectly tailored supply. In Jiang Zhao's view, to continuously expand new consumption patterns, efforts must be made on both the supply and demand sides. On the supply side, business entities should be guided to systematically extend their operations into lower-tier markets, focusing on developing lightweight, localized experiential products. For the elderly, projects themed on nostalgia and wellness should be created. For the parent-child market, supply should be enriched with science and practical education offerings. On the demand side, the reach of experiential consumption should be broadened through various consumption-promotion activities, continuously cultivating public consumption habits. At the same time, the industry standard system should be accelerated, intellectual property protection for original content must be strengthened, and the overall consumption environment should be continuously optimized. In the long run, the foundation for the quality expansion of new consumption patterns is solid. In the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will promote the integration of business formats, scenario innovation, and industrial clustering, remove restrictive barriers to service consumption, and improve the industry standard system, aiming to precisely match upgrading demand with high-quality supply.