The event has also introduced a hotel-and-tennis package, while organizers have arranged cultural experiences for players, including visits to Suzhou"s gardens and local cultural venues.

　　"To give players an immersive experience of Suzhou"s charm, we have planned a range of cultural activities, including visits to the Suzhou Museum, tasting authentic Suzhou cuisine, listening to Kunqu Opera, trying on traditional Chinese qipao and visiting embroidery workshops," Zhou noted.

　　Zhou sees a broader change in the way people plan trips.

　　"Traveling to sporting events is becoming a choice for more and more people," he said. "In the past, tourism was about sightseeing - going to a destination, taking photos and checking in. Now, especially among younger generations, people are more inclined to take themed trips."

　　The idea, he said, is to use the tournament as the starting point for a much wider city experience.

　　"We hope Suzhou can, with the professional tournament at its core, connect all of Suzhou"s tourism resources, including its food, gardens, water towns and shopping, so that visitors can travel around the city for the sake of one match."

　　Players as ambassadors

　　For international tennis, this model has another potential advantage: The players themselves can become part of a city"s tourism promotion.

　　Beijing, for instance, is bringing the players themselves into the tourism story. Li Xuhua, general manager of the China Open, said the tournament plans to give players more opportunities to experience the city.

　　Current world No.1 Jannik Sinner is among the players who are invited to participate in a hutong (traditional alleyway) tour during his stay in Beijing, Li told the Global Times.

　　The China Open is also expanding its off-site activities this year.