"Furnace city" emerges as "coolcation" magnet for global travelers

“熔炉城”成为吸引全球旅行者的“凉爽”磁铁

CHONGQING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Australian tourist Roy Rostand was enjoying hotpot at a restaurant without air conditioning, apparently feeling no discomfort from the summer heat.

重庆，8月6日（新华社）-尽管位于中国西南部的重庆室外温度接近40摄氏度，澳大利亚游客罗伊·罗斯坦德仍然在一家没有空调的餐馆享用火锅，显然没有因为夏天的炎热而感到不适。

The answer to his comfort lies in the restaurant's unlikely location. This hotpot restaurant, named Underground City, is hidden inside a former air-raid shelter, one of the city's distinctive spaces offering natural coolness.

慰藉他的答案，藏在这家餐厅出人意料的选址里。这家名为“地下城”的火锅店，隐匿在一处旧防空洞内，是城中别具特色、自带天然凉意的场所之一。

"It's amazing that the restaurant stays so cool even in scorching summer heat," Rostand said. "Chongqing has given me the chance to experience something I can't find in Australia."

罗斯唐说：“即便盛夏酷暑，这家餐馆依旧十分凉爽，实在奇妙。重庆让我体验到了在澳大利亚无法感受的事物。”

Chongqing has long been dubbed one of China's "furnace cities" for its sweltering, humid summers. In July alone, the city endured 26 consecutive days of high heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius for a full week and topping out at a scorching 41.6 degrees.

长期以来，重庆因其夏季闷热潮湿而被称为中国“火炉城市”之一。仅在7月份，当地就经历了26天的持续高温，整整一周的气温都突破了40摄氏度，最高气温更是达到了41.6摄氏度。

The blazing heat, however, has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of global travelers. According to the Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, more than 610,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals were recorded at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in the first half of the year, marking an 86-percent surge year on year. The top five source countries were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia.

然而，酷热并没有浇灭全球旅行者的热情。据重庆出入境边防检查总站数据，今年上半年重庆江北国际机场外国人出入境人次超过61万，同比增长86%。入境客源排名前五的国家分别是泰国、马来西亚、新加坡、越南和印度尼西亚。

European travelers proved to be a standout growth driver. Data from Trip.com shows that as of July 21, inbound travel bookings from Europe to Chongqing for this summer season climbed by over 40 percent year on year, while scenic spot ticket orders surged by 214.7 percent and activity-based bookings rocketed by a staggering 6,900 percent.

事实证明，欧洲游客成为拉动入境游增长的突出动力。携程的数据显示，截至7月21日，今年夏季从欧洲到重庆的入境游预订量同比增长超过40%，景区门票订单量激增214.7%，体验类活动预订量激增6900%。

Thanks to China's visa-free policies and other travel facilitation measures, Chongqing is rapidly gaining traction as a go-to "coolcation" hotspot for international visitors. Creative cool-off spaces, diverse travel experiences and comprehensive summer services have all contributed to its rising appeal.

得益于中国的免签政策和其他旅行便利化措施，重庆作为国际游客的首选“降温”热点正在迅速走红。创造性纳凉空间、丰富多元的游玩体验以及完善的夏日配套服务，共同助推其吸引力持续攀升。

UNDERGROUND COOL

地下纳凉

Chongqing's summer cooling secrets were first found underground. Since the late 1930s, the city has carved thousands of air-raid shelters into its mountainous terrain.

重庆的夏季降温秘密最早藏于地下。自20世纪30年代末以来，这座城市在其山区地形上开凿出数千个防空洞。

Once serving as sanctuaries for civilians during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, these spaces have now been repurposed as hotpot restaurants, tea houses and venues for Sichuan Opera performances, providing both refreshing coolness and preserving the city's living memories.

这些空间曾在抗日战争时期作为民众的避难所，如今被改造利用，变身火锅店、茶馆与川剧演出场地，既带来沁人凉意，也留存着这座城市鲜活的记忆。

"The temperature inside the shelters remains around 25 degrees Celsius all year round, making them natural cool retreats," explained Wang Jing, marketing director of Underground City.

“避难所内的温度常年保持在25摄氏度左右，是天然的避暑场所，”地下城市场总监王静解释道。

"We serve more than 300 tables a day on weekends," she added. "Right now, about one in every six diners is from overseas. And we're seeing more and more visitors from Southeast Asia and Europe."

“周末我们每天提供 300 多张桌子，”她补充道。“现在，大约六分之一的食客来自海外。我们看到越来越多的来自东南亚和欧洲的游客。”

Annika, a tourist from Germany, revealed that the restaurant has gone viral on overseas social media platforms. "We were attracted not only by this unique way of escaping the summer heat, but also by the opportunity to dine in a place filled with history and culture," she said.

来自德国的游客安妮卡透露，这家餐厅已经在海外社交媒体平台上疯传。“我们不仅被这种独特的避暑方式所吸引，还被有机会在充满历史和文化的地方用餐所吸引，”她说。

CHASING CHILL

追寒

On August 1, Chongqing issued an orange heat alert. At a water park in its Fuling District, 10 tonnes of industrial ice were dumped directly into the wave pool. Half-submerged in the refreshing water, visitors could splash around or even play mahjong at custom-made tables in the pool.

8月1日，重庆市发布高温橙色预警。在涪陵区的一个水上公园，10吨工业冰被直接倒入波浪池中。半浸在清爽的水中，游客可以四处戏水，甚至在泳池里定制的桌子上打麻将。

This unique summer cooling scene has attracted coverage from mainstream media in countries including Russia and Canada, with overseas outlets reportedly dubbing it the most intriguing summer spectacle in China this year.

这一独特的夏季降温场景吸引了俄罗斯、加拿大等国家主流媒体的报道，据报道，海外媒体将其称为今年中国最耐人寻味的夏季奇观。

At Chongqing Xingrui international travel service, inquiries from cross-border travelers hailing from hot and humid regions such as Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia have risen notably in recent weeks.

在重庆兴瑞国际旅行社，来自越南、老挝、印度尼西亚等炎热潮湿地区的跨境旅客咨询量在最近几周明显上升。

Peng Hengcong, head of the travel agency, said they have rolled out themed tour products, including "cool retreats in the mountains" and "gorge rapids adventures," tailored to overseas visitors seeking summer cooling experiences. These products cover areas with higher altitudes or rich water systems in Chongqing, with the highlight being a "23°C summer" experience.

该旅行社负责人彭恒聪表示，他们推出了主题旅游产品，包括“山中清凉度假”和“峡谷急流探险”，以寻求夏季清凉体验的海外游客。这些产品覆盖了重庆海拔较高或水系丰富的地区，亮点是“23°C的夏天”体验。

Luo Zibai, an expert with the China Tourism Academy, believes that Chongqing's sustained popularity among travelers lies in its ability to fully leverage its distinctive strengths and develop differentiated tourism products that offer a broad spectrum of experiences.

中国旅游研究院专家罗子柏认为，重庆之所以能够持续受到游客的欢迎，是因为它能够充分利用其独特的优势，开发提供广泛体验的差异化旅游产品。

URBAN REFUGE

都市纳凉秘境

Chongqing is weaving a citywide "cooling network" -- ranging from shopping malls to public facilities, and from indoor spaces to outdoor areas.

重庆正在编织一个全市范围的“降温网络”——从商场到公共设施，从室内空间到室外区域。

At a shopping mall called The Ring in the city, visitors are greeted not by endless rows of shops, but by a lush indoor rainforest. With misting systems and carefully designed lighting, the mall keeps the temperature at about 21 degrees Celsius, creating a cool, dreamy summer escape.

在重庆名为“光环”的商场内，迎接游客的并非一排排连绵的商铺，而是一片繁茂的室内雨林。依靠喷雾系统与精心设计的灯光，商场将温度维持在21摄氏度左右，打造出一处清凉梦幻的夏日避暑胜地。

"I like Chongqing a lot because it has its own character," said Bilal Badri, who was visiting from the Netherlands. "The way nature and the city's landscape blend together here is just perfect."

“我非常喜欢重庆，因为它有自己的特色，”从荷兰来访的比拉尔·巴德里说。“自然和城市景观在这里融合方式非常完美。”

The cool experience extends beyond the mall. In the Mountain City Alley historic district, a 400-meter-long pedestrian walkway has been transformed into a "cooling corridor," where misting systems and shaded areas reduce the perceived temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.

这份清凉体验不止存在于商场内。在山城巷历史文化街区，一条400米长的步行道被改造成“清凉廊道”，廊道内的喷雾系统与遮阴区域，可让体感温度下降3至5摄氏度。

In addition, since July 8, Chongqing's rail transit system has set up cooling zones in 158 metro stations, offering free air-conditioned spaces and heat-relief supplies to residents and tourists alike.

此外，自7月8日起，重庆轨道交通系统在158个地铁站设立了纳凉区域，为居民和游客提供免费的空调空间和消暑用品。

"Chongqing's creative and thoughtful ways to help people beat the summer heat are impressive. It's really interesting to discover these unique experiences," said Alexandra, a Romanian tourist. "This time I didn't stay long enough to explore more of the city, and I'm planning to come back in the near future."

罗马尼亚游客亚历山德拉说：“重庆在帮助人们消暑想出的创意巧思令人赞叹。发现这些独特的体验真的很有趣。”“这次我停留时间有限，没能深度游览，打算在不久的将来再来。”