(ECNS) -- A surge in international tourism to China is driving "stockpiling-style" shopping sprees in Yiwu International Trade Market, the "world supermarket" in east China's Zhejiang Province, as global travelers snap up goods in bulk.
In the toy section of the market, foreign visitors have traditionally come to conduct wholesale business. But a new trend is emerging: more international tourists are now visiting the city simply to shop, drawn by the wide variety of goods and low prices.
To meet the growing retail demand, merchants have set up stalls outside their shops with signs reading "Factory Direct" and "Retail Available."
"There has been a significant influx of South American clients and tourists. Retail sales in May surged by approximately 150% month-on-month," said Lu Xulian, who runs a toy business.
Some merchants at the trade market have flexibly adopted a "wholesale-retail" model, allowing tourists to enjoy wholesale prices even when purchasing single items, maximizing cost-effectiveness.
Since March this year, Yiwu International Trade City has opened free foreign language courses covering English, Spanish, and Arabic to help business owners better communicate with international shoppers.
Moreover, the trade market has launched AI mini-programs that allow merchants to simply record a lip-synced video with a script. The program then automatically generates corresponding foreign-language videos, enabling international visitors to access detailed product information.
(By Zhang Dongfang)
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