Stroll along the Dianchi Greenway to watch the floating bridge at Caohai open and close, and the sun set over Dianchi Lake glow like molten gold; wander around Cuihu Lake, where museums and cafés together create a unique charm; step into the Zhuanxin and Xinying farmers’ markets, where the vibrant bustle of everyday life capture the welcoming spirit of Spring City; and explore the alleys of Nanqiang Street and the Daguan Night Market after dark, where food and live performances light up the city’s nightlife.

In recent years, Kunming has moved beyond the traditional tourism model of focusing on individual attractions. Guided by the philosophy of “stringing pearls into a chain” and promoting integrated, citywide development, it has transformed public projects into popular cultural tourism attractions. Through immersive experiences that energize consumption, Kunming is emerging as a destination well suited for living, travel, work, and innovation.

the Dongfeng Dam Floating Bridge

“Four-Season Living” Reinforces Kunming’s “City of Spring” Brand

“I’ve been in Kunming for over a year and have made many friends. Every day, we bask in the sun and play table tennis together. Even though I’m here on my own, I never feel lonely—this city feels like my second home,” said Ms. Xiong Yiqun from Chongqing, echoing the feelings of many new Kunming residents.

Leveraging its unique climate, ecology, and cultural resources, Kunming has made the “live-and-travel” sector a key driver of its high-quality urban development, making it a key driver of high-quality urban development and building a modern, market-driven, professionally managed, and recognizable long-stay tourism system. Public projects such as the Dianchi Lake Greenway, the retractable floating bridge at Caohai, and the Cuihu Urban Greenway have become popular cultural and tourism destinations. Meanwhile, vibrant local spots—including the Dounan Flower Market, Zhuanxin Farmers’ Market, and the alleys of Nanqiang Street—have emerged as new highlights of the city’s live-and-travel experience. Six curated tourist routes now weave together a year-round tapestry of the “City of Spring.” Data shows that from January to October 2025, Kunming received 1.21 million long-stay visitors, up 36.3% year on year, accounting for 29.14% of the province’s total. The live-and-travel economy continues to gain momentum.

Dounan Flower Market

Ma Qian, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Kunming Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said that to advance the high-quality development of the live-and-travel sector and build Kunming into a “live-and-travel city,” the city will continue improving the distribution of live-and-travel spaces across Kunming, deepen the integration of “live-and-travel+,” and focus on product innovation and the creation of immersive experiences to strengthen its core appeal.

Efforts will be made to promote differentiated development across key areas, including comprehensive service hubs in the central urban area and its surroundings, a leisure and resort belt around Dianchi Lake and Yangzonghai Lake, and distinctive ecological wellness and cross-border live-and-travel zones in the northern region. At the same time, Kunming will actively expand new models such as “live-and-travel + wellness,” “live-and-travel + culture,” “live-and-travel + sports,” and “live-and-travel + study tours,” while accelerating the development of nine major formats, covering urban, rural, medical care, elderly care, vacation, entrepreneurship, arts, sports, and cross-border experiences.

Bringing visitors in is only the first step; the real challenge is making them want to stay and feel at home. To this end, Kunming will continue to improve public services, upgrading transportation, healthcare, cultural and sports facilities, and commercial amenities, while advancing smart live-and-travel services. digital services such as one-stop housing search, customized itineraries, and emergency assistance will also be introduced. Meanwhile, the city is accelerating the development of flagship projects, including an artistic live-and-travel community along Dianchi Lake, the Yangzonghai wellness resort, and a historical and cultural live-and-travel district around Cuihu Lake. Kunming plans to develop more than 30 pilot projects, roll out seasonal themed itineraries and slow-living experiences, and build a multi-tiered portfolio of live-and-travel offerings—establishing “Four-Season Living” as a defining hallmark of the city.

Scenery of Cuihu Lake

Live-and-Travel Entrepreneurship Energizes Industrial Development

While advancing citywide live-and-travel development, Kunming has taken “live-and-travel + entrepreneurship” as a key driver to revitalize idle resources, attract talent back to their hometowns, and boost industrial value—blazing a new path where rural revitalization and cultural tourism development reinforce each other.

Dongcun Community in Songyang Subdistrict, Songming County, was once a provincially designated impoverished village. By repurposing idle school buildings, aging homes, and abandoned sites, it has developed distinctive projects such as Dongcun Academy, Cunxiao Homestay, and Hongfeng Courtyard. The community has since transformed from a revolutionary heritage base to a bustling activity hub, and ultimately into a new live-and-travel destination.

Data shows that Cunxiao Homestay alone has received over 1,000 visitors this year, while Hongfeng Courtyard has welcomed more than 5,000 visitors since opening.

Dongcun Community

Live-and-travel entrepreneurship has not only revitalized local spaces but also attracted a growing pool of talent. Dongcun Community has established a “Village Live-Streaming Courtyard,” training more than 100 livestreamers and generating 6.68 million yuan in agricultural product sales. College graduates have returned home to launch pottery studios, creating cultural and creative products inspired by local traditions while providing flexible employment for villagers. Meanwhile, healthcare and eldercare entrepreneurs from outside the region have set up operations locally, helping to fill gaps in wellness services.

Through shareholding cooperation and business model innovation, Dongcun Community has undergone a remarkable transformation: rural areas have become tourist attractions, village homes have been converted into guesthouses, local specialties have turned into profitable industries, and the primary sector has expanded into the tertiary sector. The village’s collective economy has grown from 152,000 yuan in 2021 to 1.182 million yuan in 2025—an increase of nearly sevenfold.

Leveraging the momentum of live-and-travel entrepreneurship, Songming County has launched a three-year initiative to attract 10,000 live-and-travel residents. It has innovatively introduced three “Light Songming” models, driving an 8.25-fold increase in the number of long-stay visitors over the past two years. The county has been selected as a provincial pilot for live-and-travel development, emerging as a compelling example of integrated live-and-travel and entrepreneurship in Kunming. Along the shores of Yangzonghai Lake, new formats such as coffee markets and outdoor campsites are thriving. Independent operators and founders have brought in projects in cultural creativity, music, and dining, gradually forming distinctive live-and-travel communities that continue to inject vitality into the sector.

Dongcun Homestay Courtyard

From sightseeing to citywide live-and-travel experiences, from short stays to long-term living, and from tourists to entrepreneurs putting down roots, “Live-and-Travel Yunnan” is driving a shift from checklist-style visits to deeper, more immersive experiences. Looking ahead, Kunming will further refine its citywide development layout, strengthen its live-and-travel brand, diversify live-and-travel entrepreneurship models, and enhance its service ecosystem. It aims to make “living in the City of Spring” synonymous with an aspirational lifestyle—attracting more short-term visitors to become long-term residents, where they can watch seagulls skim the shores of Dianchi Lake and enjoy a spring-like climate amid flowers in bloom year-round.

Click here to view the Chinese report

(Editors: Doe, Rachel)