AsiaNet 201462

CHONGQING, China, March 31, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/ --

Step into the "Underground City" hotpot restaurant in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, and it feels like walking into a time tunnel back to old Chongqing. Converted from a former air-raid shelter, the hotpot restaurant has 218 tables arranged across the space and can accommodate more than 1,300 diners at the same time. Inside, the cave's original rock walls have been preserved, while thousands of sky lanterns twinkle across the ceiling, creating a unique and romantic atmosphere.

"Having hotpot in an air-raid shelter is a really novel experience. I'll definitely recommend this place to my friends," said Jonathan, a tourist from Germany, who came across the restaurant on social media and headed there as soon as he landed in Chongqing.

With "ChinaTravel" gaining popularity worldwide, an increasing number of overseas visitors are looking beyond whirlwind sightseeing tours, seeking to immerse themselves in the distinctive everyday charm of Chinese cities.

Earlier, a video by an overseas blogger featuring the experience of enjoying Chongqing hotpot in an air-raid shelter garnered more than three million views on YouTube. The video has drawn large numbers of international visitors eager to experience it for themselves - clear proof of its popularity.

In 2025, Chongqing's ports handled more than 760,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign travelers, setting a new record high. Known as an "8-dimensional magic city," Chongqing is steadily becoming a top destination for visitors from around the world who want to experience urban life up close, thanks to more than 100 distinctive consumption scenarios built around its rivers, cliffs, streets, caves, and skyline, including air-raid shelters and cliffside walkways.

At present, Chongqing is making full use of its mountain-city night views, air-raid shelters, waterfront stretches, back streets and alleyways, and rooftop spaces to develop a new batch of consumer destinations with distinctive Chongqing cultural features.

By better leveraging its historical and cultural resources, preserving local features and cultural heritage, and encouraging greater integration across different business formats, Liangjiang New Area aims to better respond to varied consumer demand, further unlock the potential of differentiated consumption, and create a more distinctive and attractive new calling card for the city's consumption landscape. 

Source: Chongqing Liangjiang New Area