Foreigners fall in love with bathhouses; China's experiential economy and local lifestyle are "rediscovered" by the world | Otaku Finance

Ask AI · How does the multifunctionality of bath centers support the rise of the experiential economy?

【Homebody Finance | Expert Face-to-Face】 Since last winter, bath centers have become one of the important check-in spots for foreign tourists. The popularity of bath centers has become a microcosm of China’s experiential economy and local lifestyle being “rediscovered” by the world.

Senior researcher Jiang Han from Pangu Think Tank told China News Agency that the reason why bath centers have become a hot spot for inbound tourism is the deep integration of experiential economy and service consumption. Currently, tourists are no longer satisfied with just sightseeing; they pursue immersive, emotionally resonant experiences.

Japan, South Korea, and other countries also attract tourists with their relatively mature bath industries. What advantages does China’s bath industry have? Jiang Han believes that compared to Japan and South Korea, China’s bath industry’s core advantage lies in its overall multifunctionality, representing a large-scale, comprehensive, yet refined and beautiful industry innovation. Many business formats are concentrated in bath centers.

From the perspective of the industry chain structure, Jiang Han said that this check-in approach reflects the restructuring of the global tourism industry chain. Traditional check-in tourism often focuses on landmark symbols, with a very short value chain and low industry added value. However, an immersive lifestyle emphasizes deep participation in local culture and daily scenes. Value creation depends on service experience and emotional connection. The popularity of bath centers indicates that inbound tourism is shifting from traffic-driven economy to a reputation-based, comprehensive experiential economy. Behind this trend is the upgrading of Chinese urban functions and consumer ecology.

(Editor: Zhang Zhihan Production: Zheng Zheng Responsible Editor: Dong Xiangyi )