China's growing 'ticket-stub economy' fuels extended consumer spending

NANCHANG -- At halftime of a football league match in East China's Jiangxi province, spectator Li Zide unexpectedly learned that his ticket could get him half off the usual price of indoor skiing at a nearby scenic spot.

"I'd always thought winter sports were expensive, but this discount was the perfect chance to give it a try," he said. The next day, Li headed straight to this spot to give skiing a go.

The 2025 Jiangxi City Football Super League kicked off in mid-July, attracting fans from across the country. "Most spectators are young people and families. They are exactly our target customers," said Liu Xin, a staff member at Jiangxi's Wugong Mountain scenic area.

This scenic spot has seen a surge in visitors after offering discounts to holders of football match tickets. "Many come directly after matches to enjoy activities like barbecues, stream trekking, fruit picking and camping. Our revenues have grown noticeably," Liu revealed.

Today, ticket stubs are far beyond simple mementos of a moment, instead serving to fuel the rise of the "ticket-stub economy" -- a model in which tickets from transport services, cultural and tourism activities, and sports events are able to be used to enjoy discounts, redeem points or unlock other benefits in the course of subsequent spending.

"The 'ticket stub economy' links separate tourism, transportation and commercial scenarios -- turning one purchase into a chain of spending," said Zhou Yongbo, a professor of tourism management at Soochow University.

Concertgoer Xu Lei experienced this phenomenon firsthand in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi. "I was surprised to find I could get discounts at more than 60 restaurants with my concert ticket. These 'bonus surprises' made me want to stay longer," he said.

Jiangxi is not alone. In 2024, Shanghai trialed a ticket-stub scheme during an exhibition at the Shanghai Museum, giving visitors discounts on shopping and dining. Official data showed that the event generated tens of billions of yuan in spending.

In May this year, Shanghai rolled out an action plan to promote the "ticket-stub economy," encouraging malls and scenic spots to offer discounts to holders of festival, exhibition or event tickets.

During this year's Beijing International Film Festival, meanwhile, ticket holders enjoyed discounts at 1,100 businesses in over 30 commercial districts, attracting 76.66 million visits and driving 25.17 billion yuan ($3.53 billion) in spending.

Data from the Chinese travel services platform Qunar shows that a single ticket can generate secondary spending worth 1.5 to 2 times the ticket price, and ticket stubs can help tourists save an average of 15 to 30 percent on related expenses.

As the "ticket-stub economy" fuels waves of consumption, the industry is also exploring ways to ensure its long-term growth.

According to Zhou Jianjun, a professor at the College of Finance and Statistics at Hunan University, governments can use policy tools such as tax breaks and subsidies to lower the cost of merchant participation, as well as establish cross-industry collaboration platforms to clarify the rules.

Zhou Yongbo also suggested enhancing ticket stub design to make them into collectible souvenirs and adopting anti-counterfeiting technologies such as blockchain to prevent misuse.

"Most importantly, the development of 'ticket-stub economy' should be rooted in local characteristics, in order to enhance its competitiveness," he added.