Chongqing's motorbike tourism surge draws visitors

Chongqing, a Chinese megacity of 23 million people, has become a hotspot for motorbike‑themed tourism. Visitors such as 30‑year‑old Liu Changqing travel from other cities, rent brightly coloured superbikes and pay for video‑shoot services that capture them riding through the neon‑lit streets. The trend is amplified on Douyin, China’s TikTok‑style platform, where videos tagged with the craze have amassed about 1.3 billion views.

The city’s open policy toward petrol‑powered two‑wheelers contrasts with many Chinese locales that restrict motorbikes. Chongqing accounts for more than a third of national motorcycle production, a legacy dating back to the 1979 establishment of the state‑owned Jialing factory. Local instructor Zhang Yuanming says the abundance of manufacturers, rugged terrain and heavy traffic fuel the popularity. The influx of tourists is expected to boost both the city’s cultural profile and its motorcycle market.