China Performance Industry Association: 2025 summer national commercial performance box office revenue of 15.135 billion yuan increased 3.9% year-on-year

The Zhitong Finance App learned that the China Performance Industry Association released the “2025 Summer National Performance Market Briefing”. This summer, the cultural tourism market is hot. The performance market has further optimized the consumption scenario, continuously responds to market demand in terms of product content and form, and promotes consumption upgrading. The performing arts economy has injected strong impetus into summer consumption. According to monitoring and comprehensive estimates from the ticketing information collection platform of the China Performance Industry Association, the number of national commercial shows (excluding performances at entertainment venues) in the summer of 2025 (July-August) was 126,300, up 4.18% year on year; box office revenue was 15.135 billion yuan, up 3.90% year on year, and the number of spectators was 42.2332 million, up 5.17% year on year.

01. Excellent repertoire leads cultural tourism theaters

This year coincides with the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japan and the World Anti-Fascist War. A series of outstanding red repertoire shows were launched in many places during the summer, which received widespread attention. For example, the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism hosted an exhibition of outstanding stage art works in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japan and the World Anti-Fascist War, bringing together 22 outstanding stage art works from all over the country. The dance drama “Deep Memories” and the musical “Harbin at Night” have been well received by the market. Henan selected 13 outstanding stage art works with anti-Japanese themes. During the one-month exhibition period, they dedicated 15 wonderful performances to highlight the red culture of the Central Plains. Shanghai launched the 2025 Shanghai Red Culture Season and the 2025 Shanghai Stage Art Outstanding Repertory Show, bringing together a number of red-themed repertoire such as the Huai opera “Fire”, the drama “Xiang Yan'an”, and “Children of Heroes” to sing the main theme of red culture.

High-quality repertoire with a lasting reputation is still the main box-office force for professional theatrical performances. Taking dance dramas as an example, the enduring vitality of outstanding stage productions has been confirmed once again. The classic dance drama “Silk Road Flower Rain”, which has been in production for 46 years, performed 10 consecutive shows at the Gansu Yellow River Theatre; the dance drama “Du Fu”, which premiered in 2016, was upgraded and adjusted in 2022 and toured in Chengdu, Harbin, etc.; Yang Liping's works “Peacock”, “Impressions of Pingtan” and “Spring Festival” appeared on stage one after another during the summer.

The professional theater closely follows summer consumption hotspots, is close to the city's overall summer cultural tourism promotion, integrates into the overall cultural tourism situation of the city, and becomes a comprehensive art space that can be stayed, explored, and consumed. Taking the Harbin Grand Theatre as an example, more designs were made during the summer, and an immersive travel shoot was launched to allow the theater architecture to collide with the drama IP. Based on the theme scenes and characters of various musicals, a pop-up gallery for musicals was designed, from the Chinese spy campaign to the poetry of Shengtang, from the martial arts to sad dramas, and let the audience use the characters to fulfill their dream of “experiencing a different life” on an immersive set.

02. The driving effect of large-scale performances highlights the design of linked diverse consumption scenarios

Concerts and music festivals continue to exert cross-city driving efficiency, and product designs that break the barriers of consumption scenarios are gradually improving. In July-August, the box office and audience numbers for large-scale commercial shows with more than 5,000 people nationwide maintained an upward trend compared to the previous year.

Cultural tourism linkages based on large-scale performances are more in-depth and extensive. Take the May Day Beijing Bird's Nest concert as an example. With the concert as the core, several city landmarks in Beijing collaborated with it to transform THEBOX into a “Mayday Limited City Garden”. The giant Mayday wall, indoor memory killing zone, etc. are designed to be a go-to spot for May Day fans. Beihai Park, Ritan Park, and Ditan Park all have special photo zones for Mayday fans. Many long-established restaurants and concerts in Beijing echo consumption, with mozzarella sauce lyrics, filming the “Five Fans” newspaper, and classic May Day songs as background music. The feeling was full.

In July, the 2025 Xinjiang Super Strawberry Music Festival was held in Urumqi, Xinjiang. According to statistics from the organizer, the two-day event attracted 79,900 participants. For the first time, a marriage registration point was set up on site to achieve a “combination of rock and roll and romance.” “Western Song City” Urumqi continued the “concert month” model from July. Zhou Huajian, Liu Ruoying, and Zhang Jie appeared on stage during the summer. Singers such as Zhang Shaohan, A-Lin, Huang Liling, Ella Chen Jiahua, Wu Bai, and Dao Lang continued their concert popularity until September and October, and fans called “air tickets and hotels must be bought in advance”. Zhang Xueyou held three concerts in a row in Dongguan. While the hotel occupancy rate increased dramatically, sales of Dongguan food such as roast goose and sugar water surged.

The strong driving effect has also prompted structural changes in the large-scale concert and music festival market to quietly advance. With venue upgrades, policy support, and integration of cultural tourism resources, third- and fourth-tier cities are becoming a new blue ocean for the performing arts economy. The downward trend of large-scale concerts and music festivals will continue, and the “immediate demand for golden songs” in the sinking market is particularly prominent. In Suining, Sichuan, as an example, the “Legend of the Golden Song Tour at Suining Station” exploded. The data showed that tickets for Suining Station sold out 10 days early. The scene of “singing in the air” outside the classical music venue further confirms the demand for high-quality performances by local consumers.

03. The rich supply of tourism and entertainment is tailored for summer consumption

The popularity of the summer travel entertainment market continues to rise. Various regions are enriching the supply of travel and performing arts products, and promoting a new cultural tourism consumption ecosystem of “bringing tours and promoting tourism”. In July-August, the number of national travel entertainment shows, box office, and audience numbers all maintained a year-on-year upward trend.

At the end of July, the large-scale immersive 4D technology live show “Water Show” premiered at the Hanxiu Theater in Wuhan, Hubei. The repertoire incorporates many elements of Jingchu, such as the Yellow Crane Tower, Jiangcheng Water Dance, Tiger Bird Drums, and Nine Days of Phoenix Dance. The residency program will continue until the end of the year for 180 shows. As a key cultural tourism project in Lhasa, the “Love Lhasa” series of projects premiered in August to focus on cultural tourism resources in Lhasa through immersive night tours, themed food shows, and immersive XR digital performing arts spaces.

The large-scale red historical stage play “Chongqing · 1949” launched the “Summer Special Program”. The number of shows was expanded, the experience was upgraded, and the average number of shows per day was raised from 3 to 5. A preferential summer student ticket policy has been introduced for the student base. Intensive shows and friendly prices provide visitors from all over the country with more choices, allowing more viewers to immerse themselves in the magnificent Hongyan epic. Harbin Ice and Snow World incorporates the romance and creativity in the ice and snow genes into the hot summer, and has upgraded the large-scale fantasy show “King's Chariot” and the “Meet Harbin” large-scale immersive riverside performance. The Fuzhou China Shipbuilding Administration Cultural Park launched themed events such as “Wonderful Night of Shipping Administration”, “Shipbuilding Administration Evening Breeze” and “River Style Night” in August. Among them, “Most Remembering Shipbuilding” added nighttime performances. The number of nighttime viewers in the first week alone exceeded 1,000, an increase of 180% over the same period last month, and retail sales at scenic spots increased 409% over the same period last month.

“Only Dream of the Red Mansion · Drama Fantasy City” links the surrounding cultural, commercial and tourism industries to launch a number of joint consumer discount initiatives, such as discounts on food and beverage, free exhibitions, and cultural and creative purchases with ticket stubs. At the same time, exclusive discount tickets were launched for secondary school entrance examination and college entrance examination students from all over the country, attracting groups of students to enter the fantasy city of drama and learn about innovative expressions of traditional culture.