Guangdong Province Leverages Sports too Drive Urban Development,Economic Growth
GUANGDONG PROVINCE – As preparation intensifies for the 15th National Games,cities across Guangdong Province are strategically integrating sports into their core urban identities,transforming athletic endeavors into engines for economic development and improved quality of life,according to a report in China Sports News on November 16th. The province’s approach focuses on event cultivation, industrial integration, and widespread sports participation.
zhaoqing is building a “Judo City” brand centered on the martial art’s beliefs of “hardness and softness,” having trained over 1,000 judo teachers and establishing “judo classes in every class” across 62 schools. Professional venues like Xian Dongmei Stadium support these initiatives. The city is pursuing a development path of “Judo + Culture and Tourism + Industry.”
Qingyuan, known as the “Hometown of Rafting in China,” is capitalizing on its rafting heritage – embodying a spirit of daring and adventure – through the combination of ”sports + agricultural and cultural tourism.” Plans include developing high-quality outdoor sports routes, upgrading B&B clusters around Bijia Mountain, and creating integrated experiences like “rafting + hot springs + intangible cultural heritage” to elevate the “Qingpiao” rafting IP.
In Chaozhou, the ancient game of Go is being used to revitalize cultural traditions. “School-based courses + interest classes” now reach over 40 primary schools and 60 kindergartens,with more than 20,000 young peopel learning the game annually. Public chess areas in locations like Archway Street and Guangji Bridge are fostering a trendy lifestyle centered around the game and traditional tea culture.
Across Guangdong’s 21 cities, the National games are serving as a catalyst to transform sports character into tangible development momentum, making sports a key component of urban culture, a driver of economic growth, and a popular lifestyle choice for residents. The resulting “urban sports character” is intended to become a defining feature of each city,with event-related benefits directly contributing to public well-being.
