by sportswriters Yue Wenwan, Li Chunyu and Xiao Yazhuo

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- When Xie Wentao, a tennis fan from Shanghai, arrived in Beijing with his wife for the China Open on Thursday, he never imagined their short getaway would turn into an open-ended holiday.

"The atmosphere at the stadium is incredible," Xie said. "We've already watched two days of tennis, and we haven't decided when to head back. I really want to visit more cities through tennis."

Like Xie, many Chinese travelers are combining sports and leisure this year. During the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which began on October 1, sporting events nationwide have energized the break and emerged as a new driver of holiday consumption.

TRAVELING WITH GAMES

In Beijing, the China Open set the tone. The much-anticipated return of China's top player Zheng Qinwen filled the stands. Her comeback match on September 27 drew more than 90 percent attendance, with more than 45,000 fans entering the National Tennis Center - a tournament record.

Even after Zheng withdrew due to injury, attendance remained strong. By Thursday, ticket revenues surpassed 88 million yuan (about 12.3 million U.S. dollars), while on-site spending reached 33.56 million yuan, up 34 percent from last year. Licensed merchandise sales topped 10 million yuan, a 43 percent increase.

The surge extended beyond tennis. The World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash also pulled in crowds.

"Tickets were very hard to get. I started trying at the end of August, and after three rounds of sales, I only managed to get the morning matches on Friday," said Wang Jingjun, a fan from Wuhan who attended the tournament for the second straight year. "Watching top players compete live really fired me up. I was so excited in the arena, and I took some photos of my favorite athletes."

Data showed that by Friday, the WTT China Smash saw the ticket revenue of 87 million yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 52.6 percent, fueling the consumption within Shougang Park to over 30 million yuan.

The sports fever reached smaller cities too. In Qianjiang, Hubei Province, table tennis, go and basketball competitions boosted the city's famed crayfish industry. Organizers offered spectators set meals and discounts at local restaurants.

"During the holiday, it's very common for one participant to travel with their whole family," said Zhang Caixia, owner of a local restaurant. "Many players come to eat after their matches, so we extended lunch service until around 4 p.m. Thanks to the sports events, our revenue during the tournament days was about 15 percent higher than last year's National Day holiday."

According to the Qianjiang Catering and Hotel Association, average daily customer numbers at major crayfish restaurants rose by about 40 percent during the holiday. Top outlets sold more than 1,000 kilograms of crayfish per day, boosting sales by more than 50 percent from the previous week.

"'Following events to travel' has really taken root," said Yang Xuedong, an official with the General Administration of Sport of China. "It's now common for one person to compete while the whole family accompanies to travel, and for a single tournament to generate multiple days of spending. Sports events continue to draw crowds, and the combination of culture, commerce, tourism and sports has become a golden formula for boosting consumption and domestic demand."

SPORTS AS A LIFESTYLE

The boom extended beyond stadium gates. With limited seating at main venues, China Open organizers set up secondary viewing sites in malls and tourist areas, where fans could watch matches on big screens while enjoying food, shopping and entertainment.

"Fans come not only to watch matches but to experience the city," said Li Xuhua, general manager of the China Open organizing company.

In east China's Jiangsu Province, the grassroots Su Super League football tournament created similar ripple effects. As the competition entered its quarterfinals, all eight host cities launched off-site fan zones during the holiday.

The secondary-site effect proved strong. In Yancheng, 17 retail and commercial outlets set up viewing areas during home matches in August, generating more than 44.5 million yuan in revenue and attracting more than 1.11 million visitors.

Meanwhile, many travelers chose to spend their holiday actively. Luo Jiayu, a 20-year-old from Hunan Province, headed to Hainan for a road cycling race on Wednesday.

"This place has great roads, stunning scenery and delicious food," Luo said. "I also plan to go surfing and spend time with friends to enjoy the holiday beyond the race itself."

Even after Zheng's withdrawal from the China swing, tennis remained a draw in Wuhan, with the qualifying rounds of the Wuhan Open still attracting large crowds.

Liu Kai, a local fan, brought his two daughters to the plaza outside the Wuhan Optics Valley International Tennis Center to practice hitting balls and browse equipment while waiting for Saturday's draw results.

"It's unfortunate that Zheng can't play this year, but the appeal of tennis isn't about one player - it's about the sport itself," Liu said. "After watching two qualifying matches, my daughters said they want to learn tennis, and I plan to take them to training courses so they can try it for themselves."