Chongqing Reports 1.67 Trillion Yuan in Retail Sales, Eyes Global Shopping Hub Status
Chongqing's commerce bureau reports 2025 retail sales of 1.67 trillion yuan and over 500 million annual visitors as the city positions itself as a global consumption hub.
The Chongqing Municipal Commerce Bureau in China released data on 12 October 2026 stating that Chongqing, located in western China and surrounded by mountains and rivers, is pushing forward to become a global consumption hub, drawing on its strengths in landscape, industrial base, and open trading environment. The latest figures show the city's retail sales and visitor numbers growing clearly, while continuing to attract brands and multinational companies to invest.
Retail Sales Surge to 1.67 Trillion Yuan, Ranking First in China
In 2025, Chongqing's total retail sales of consumer goods surged to 1.67 trillion yuan, the highest among China's major cities, while the number of visitors travelling to the city exceeded 500 million per year. Key drivers include a strong manufacturing base in new energy vehicles, motorcycles, and laptop computers.
Chongqing has also led China's night economy for four consecutive years. The city currently hosts more than 2,800 leading domestic and international brands, including over 2,000 stores opening their first branch in the city, while 325 Fortune Global 500 companies have chosen Chongqing as their gateway for expansion into western China.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of release | 12 October 2026 |
| Location | Chongqing, China |
| Total retail sales in 2025 | 1.67 trillion yuan |
| Annual visitors | More than 500 million |
| Domestic and international brands invested | More than 2,800 brands (including over 2,000 first-branch stores) |
| Fortune Global 500 companies in Chongqing | 325 |
| Global trade network | 228 countries and territories |
| National-standard premium tourism routes | 17 routes |
From Air-Raid Shelters to Underground Lifestyle Spaces: A New Draw for Visitors
One of Chongqing's attractions is the conversion of former air-raid shelters into underground lifestyle spaces filled with bars, restaurants, and performance venues. Mala hotpot restaurants located inside caves have also become popular destinations for visitors, with some venues able to accommodate more than 1,300 customers and maintaining a constant temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.
Over the past five years, the city has upgraded 30 major commercial districts and created more than 100 new consumption lifestyle spaces, covering riverside areas, cliffsides, and rooftops. The Liberation Monument district has been recognised as one of the most foreign-visitor-friendly commercial districts in China and has been held up as a model for other cities in the Belt and Road Initiative to adopt.
Global Trade Network and Premium Tourism Routes
Chongqing has trade links with 228 countries and territories worldwide, driven mainly by the China-Europe freight train and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. The city has also upgraded visa measures, payment systems, and tax refund services to make travel easier for international visitors.
In tourism, the city is also promoting 17 national-standard premium tourism routes, covering Yangtze River cruises, low-altitude aerial sightseeing, and hot-spring wellness tourism, all of which are growing steadily.
This news is of interest to tourism operators and MICE organisers looking for opportunities to expand into the western China market, as well as hotel professionals and travellers interested in visiting this mountain city, whether for its shopping, nightlife, or new tourism routes.