In early summer, the baggage carousels in the arrivals hall at Kunming Changshui International Airport often reveal some unusual luggage—disassembled road bikes, bulging triathlon gear bags. Their owners, with kinesiology tape on their knees and sharply defined calves, haul the heavy equipment across the terminal for one reason: to ride the 108-kilometer loop around Dianchi Lake at an altitude of 1,891 meters, or to push their limits in hybrid fitness or functional fitness gyms across the city.

With its unique highland climate, status as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, and reputation as a premier destination for high-altitude sports training, Kunming has become the go-to destination for these hardcore athletes to “pay to sweat.” In addition, the appeal of various sporting events has expanded travel options in Kunming—from sports tourism to extended sports living.

Gyms Become Tourist Check-In Spots

On May 15, Lin Jifan, a cycling enthusiast from Chengdu, flew to Kunming for a weekend getaway. Early Saturday morning, he headed straight to the “Jiangwei Cycling Club” in Chenggong, where he spent the day completing the 108-kilometer cycling challenge around Dianchi Lake, and another day exploring the city on foot.

“In the past, I came to Kunming to eat wild mushrooms and soak up the sun, but this time I made a special trip to cycle along the Dianchi Greenway. The combination of high-altitude cycling and the scenery around Dianchi Lake is hard to find elsewhere in China,” said Lin Jifan. He booked a bike and logistical support from a local cycling club a week in advance and even joined a local cycling WeChat group. In Jiangwei Village, renting a road bike costs about 20 to 80 yuan per day, with package deals available at 300 yuan for 20 rides. This accessible yet professional service model is exactly what out-of-town “sports travelers” are looking for.

At fitness centers in Kunming that specialize in functional fitness training, it is common to see travelers purchasing single-entry passes. This trend of “gym check-ins” is evolving from isolated individual choices into a trend within fitness circles. On social media, many out-of-town fitness bloggers and strength coaches have added “working out in Kunming with a single-entry pass” to their travel itineraries. After completing a workout, they often film a short check-in video, further amplifying the Spring City’s influence within fitness circles as a “training destination.”

The single-entry pass is currently the most popular option among out-of-town visitors, with prices hovering around 80 yuan. This “buy, work out, and leave” model significantly lowers the barrier for non-local visitors to try a workout and aligns well with the characteristics of “sports tourism.”

“At first, we worried that tourists wouldn’t have time to come to the gym. But we soon realized those concerns were unnecessary. Especially from Friday to Sunday, out-of-town visitors can account for 20 to 30 percent of our customers. Some even fly in from cities such as Chengdu and Shanghai specifically for high-altitude training classes,” said Coach Li from a comprehensive fitness training gym in Kunming. According to Li, these visitors do not care much about annual membership discounts. What they want is a well-structured class schedule, a vibrant community vibe, and a place to shower and grab a coffee after working out. Staff members also share locations for Kunming’s cycling greenways and nearby douhua rice noodle shops, making visitors feel that the gym is not just a training venue, but their first base in the Spring City.

A young office worker from Shanghai who was visiting Kunming on a business trip said, “A functional fitness class in Shanghai usually costs around 150 yuan, while in Kunming it typically costs only 80 to 130 yuan. Rather than squeezing through crowded tourist attractions, I’d rather spend the money working up a sweat and experiencing the unique feel of high-altitude training. The last time I bought a single-entry pass for a workout, everyone sat together afterward, drinking protein shakes and chatting, and I quickly added three or four local runners on WeChat.”

Staying Longer in the Spring City for Sports

In recent years, leveraging its unique natural conditions and rich historical and cultural heritage, Yunnan has been committed to building three signature brands: a “Highland Training Destination,” an “Outdoor Sports Paradise,” and a “Year-Round Sports Event Hub.” As the provincial capital, Kunming is home to the Haigeng Sports Training Base, a premier destination for athletes from China and abroad to improve their competitive performance. The Dianchi Greenway, Xishan Forest Park, and Haigeng Dam are popular spots for cycling, running groups, and orienteering. Xishan District and Fumin County also feature well-developed outdoor rock-climbing venues and quality climbing routes, attracting enthusiasts from home and abroad to stay for extended periods and enjoy the thrill of climbing. Events such as the SCO Kunming Marathon, the Yunnan Football Super League and the Dongchuan “Hello” Cup International Mudslide Auto Rally have attracted large numbers of participants and spectators. According to statistics, Kunming hosted more than 260 sporting events and activities in 2025, driving sports-related consumption to exceed 1.6 billion yuan. The city has built 20,580 sports venues and facilities, with sports space per capita reaching 3.05 square meters and sports facility coverage in villages and communities reaching 100 percent. A “15-minute fitness circle” has basically taken shape. Coupled with increasingly mature long-stay and tourism support facilities, Kunming is integrating events, training, wellness, and leisure to create a Spring City long-stay model in which people “travel for sporting events and stay longer because of sports.”

From Short-Term Visitor Flows to the Long-Stay Economy

However, how to transform the surge of visitors during sporting events into a year-round sustainable economy, and how to further encourage “sports tourists” to become long-term “sports travelers,” remains a critical question for Kunming. In response, several industry experts have offered recommendations ranging from top-level planning to practical implementation.

Zhang Yanping, General Manager of Yunnan Xingzhi Exploration Sports and Cultural Tourism Industry Co., Ltd., pointed out that Kunming should not stop at merely “hosting events.” Instead, the city should leverage the Dianchi Greenway to focus on accessible outdoor activities and wellness, creating a high-quality outdoor sports destination. By using distinctive sporting events to attract visitors, Kunming can cultivate long-term sports-oriented long-stay consumption.

Jin Feibao, Chairman of Yunnan Mijing Baima Cultural Industry Co., Ltd., offered suggestions from the perspective of regional coordination. He believes that, by leveraging the advantages of being the provincial capital and integrating resources to build a cluster of sports-oriented long-stay tourism products, Kunming can strive to become a model zone for sports-related long-stay tourism.

Mu Chun, Chairman of Yunnan Yunjian Sporting Goods Co., Ltd., focused more on deeper development of the industrial chain. She emphasized the need to further explore the industrial chain, deepen the “events plus” model, and launch integrated programs combining events, exhibitions, sales, and cultural tourism routes.

The goal is to turn “sports travelers” from passersby into regulars, and to upgrade training venues from mere places of consumption into gateways to urban life.

Kunming boasts unique advantages such as a high-quality ecological environment and a high-altitude climate. By integrating mass fitness with sporting events and cultural tourism, and by extending the consumption chain, the city can break free from the limitations of event cycles, stimulate sustained sports consumption, and reshape urban lifestyles.