A scene from the women"s semifinal at the China Open in Beijing on October 4, 2025 Photo: VCG

　　As international tennis tournaments multiply across China this autumn, organizers are increasingly looking beyond the court, seeking to turn a trip to a tournament into a broader travel experience.

　　The 2026 Chinese tennis season, starting in September, will bring a series of international events to cities including Chengdu, Hangzhou and Suzhou besides flagship events in Beijing and Shanghai.

　　The growing concentration of tournaments is giving Chinese cities a chance to connect sporting events with local consumption, cultural activities and tourism.

　　Shanghai offers perhaps the clearest example of how that strategy is developing.

　　In 2025, the Shanghai Masters attracted more than 250,000 spectators, with about 10 percent coming from overseas and 60 percent from outside Shanghai, according to the Shanghai municipal government. The tournament also generated more than 100 million yuan ($14.8 million) in ticket revenue.

　　The figures have encouraged organizers and city authorities to think beyond the traditional model of selling a ticket to a tennis match.

　　During this year"s Shanghai Masters, ticket packages will include options combining matches with direct transportation, family experiences and visits to other Shanghai attractions, the organizers have announced.

　　The approach fits into Shanghai"s broader effort to use major sporting events to attract international visitors.

　　The experience in Shanghai suggests that the relationship between tennis and tourism can work in both directions: a tournament brings people to a city, while the city gives spectators reasons to stay longer and spend money beyond the stadium.