2024 in Review ⑨ | Culture, sports, tourism integration

Editor’s Note: 

As we reflect on 2024, Shenzhen remains committed to advancing high-level opening up, actively integrating into the new development pattern, and attracting foreign investment. The“2024 in Review” special series highlights the city’s progress across various fields.

As China vigorously promotes its unique modernization, the role of culture becomes increasingly prominent. Looking back at 2024, Shenzhen experienced a year filled with cultural enrichment, vitality, and energy.

1. 20th ICIF hits record high in scale

The 20th China Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF). Liu Xudong

The 20th China Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) was held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center from May 23 to 27. The exhibition area reached 160,000 square meters, a 33% increase. Exhibitors from 60 countries and regions attended the fair both in-person and online, leading to a 67.9% increase in contract deals.

Five new national-level cultural industry demonstration bases were established throughout the year, and the added value of cultural industries is expected to reach 300 billion yuan (US$40.94 billion).

The city worked out a three-year action plan for the game industry and established the Shenzhen (Nanshan) Game Innovation Development Center. The Shenzhen-made original game "Karapichu" gained global popularity.

Shenzhen took the lead in introducing incentives in Guangdong Province. The China International New Media Short Film Festival and the Bay Area Micro-Drama Ecology Conference gathered industrial resources from the country.

2. Paris Olympics winners

Twins Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, from Shenzhen, celebrate after winning China’s first-ever Olympic duet gold medal in artistic swimming at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 11, 2024. Xinhua

Shenzhen athletes Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi won gold medals in synchronized swimming and doubles at the Paris Olympics, Wang Xinyu won a silver medal in mixed doubles tennis, and Tang Muhang won a bronze medal in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.

Shenzhen athletes won 50 gold, 58 silver, and 52 bronze medals at national and international sports events. Among them, they earned 14 gold medals in international single events such as the Doha Swimming World Championships and the FINA Swimming World Cup.

The Kunlun Red Star Club won the inaugural Chinese Women's Ice Hockey Professional League Championship, the Shenzhen Longhua Go Team won the 2023 China Go League Championship, and the Shenzhen Nanling Iron Wolf Football Club won the Five-a-side Super League Championship at the 2024 season of China Football Association.

3. ‘Wing Chun’ receives award

Shenzhen's original dance drama "Wing Chun" won the Outstanding Works Prize at the nation's Five Best Ones Award. It debuted at the 2024 New Year Tea Party of the CPPCC National Committee and the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Since its premiere two years ago, the drama has toured in London and Paris, staging a total of 232 performances.

The U.K. debut of Shenzhen dance drama "Wing Chun" at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London on Aug. 30, 2024. Zhou Hongsheng

4. Public cultural services

A vibrant atmosphere fills the air at Shenzhen Book City’s CBD store, the main venue of the 6th Shenzhen Book Fair, on its opening day Nov. 15, 2024. Yu Haihong

Shenzhen has ranked first for four consecutive years in the public cultural services evaluation across the province. The North Hall of the Shenzhen Library was shortlisted as one of the top four international public libraries by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

There are 1,800 libraries of various types, museums, art galleries, and cultural centers throughout the city. The turnover of books and documents at libraries exceeded 200 million.

5.  Sports venue reservations

An aerial view of Shenyun Culture and Sports Park in Nanshan District. The 80,000-square-meter park boasts tennis, badminton, basketball, and squash courts, fencing halls, and a soccer field. File photo

The reservation platform for sports venues has accumulated over 40 million users and provides access to 2,068 sports venues, including 659 sports venues at schools.

Throughout the year, 200 new fitness facilities were constructed or renovated for public convenience, with a total of 186 sets of outdoor smart fitness equipment installed.

The Kunpeng Trail was rated as one of the top 10 outdoor sports destinations in 2024, and the "Hiking in Shenzhen" book series was released, which received widespread acclaim. Themed fitness activities were initiated for over 2 million primary and secondary school students, fostering the integration of sports and education.

6. Drone performances set records

Thousands of drones take flight to create a heart-shaped image in the sky during Jay Chou's concert at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center on Sept. 12, 2024. Courtesy of Longgang District Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the drone performance for National Day set two Guinness World Records, attracting over 700 media outlets and more than 1 billion online viewers.

Shenzhen tourism promotional videos were shown in New York, Paris, Tokyo, and Dubai — all cities with direct flights with the city. Tram ads were placed in Milan and Florence. More than 5,000 tourists from North America visited Shenzhen through the China Merchants cruise liner. The city received over 32 million inbound tourists throughout the year, marking a 58.8% increase, with international tourism revenue reaching US$6.5 billion, up 71.1%.

7. A top-10 destination 

The 2024 China Mermaid Open Competition makes waves at Xiaomeisha Sea World on Oct. 11, 2024. Liu Xudong 

The city received over 185 million visitors throughout 2024, marking a 10.8% increase year on year, with tourism revenue reaching 265 billion yuan, an 11.3% increase from that of last year. Xiaomeisha Sea World resumed operations, and Phase I of OCT East was renovated and completed. Eleven international branded hotels, such as MGM Grand Hotel and two high-quality hostels, were opened.

The city introduced 60 new boutique travel routes. OCT Coast was named a 4A level scenic area, and the Dongshan Luzui Tourism Area was designated as a 3A level scenic area. Futian was selected as a preferred district for its nighttime economy in 2024. Shenzhen introduced study tour routes for the city’s four major tech companies and developed a unique urban cultural tourism IP called "Penguin Hometown." The Xichong International Dark Sky Community was recommended as one of the top 10 most beautiful stargazing destinations in China.

8. Marathon's 10th anniversary

Runners set off on the Shenzhen Marathon 2024 from the Civic Center in Futian District at 7:30 a.m. Dec. 1, 2024. Liu Xudong

The 10th Shenzhen Marathon attracted 20,000 runners. Shenzhen hosted 260 major sports events, including the FIBA U18 Women's Basketball Asia Cup, the China Cup Regatta, the World Sailing Tour Bao'an Finals, the National Swimming Championships, the China Badminton Masters, the Volvo China Open, and the Guangming International Road Cycling Race.

9. Reform and opening-up route

The Shekou Reform and Opening-Up Historical Route was selected as a national cultural heritage tourism route.The city implemented free entry polices at 61 museums and extended opening hours at major museums during holidays.

The number of visitors to popular museums, such as the Shenzhen Museum, the Nanshan Museum, and the Huaqiangbei Museum, increased from 8.12 million in 2023 to 10.34 million in 2024, representing a 27.34% increase.

10. Investment in facilities

Shenzhen Sports Center celebrates the opening of its newly renovated arena with a match between the Shenzhen Leopards and the Jiangsu Dragons on Oct. 18, 2024. Photo from WeChat account "深圳发布”

The Shenzhen Sports Center was renovated and opened to the public, along with the completion and opening of cultural and sports venues such as Yuehai Sports and Leisure Park and the Honghua Mountain Sports Center. Construction began on projects like the OCT Harbor Theater, the Sports Hotel of the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, the Shenzhen Chess Academy, the Science City Sports Center.

Construction accelerated on the New Hall of Shenzhen Cultural Center, the Shenzhen Opera House, the Shenzhen Bay Cultural Square, the Shenzhen Museum of  Natural History, and the Qianhai Museum. The city saw the addition of 200,000 square meters of public cultural facilities and 3 million square meters of sports venues throughout the year.