On May 19, the 2024 "5.19 China Tourism Day" Sichuan Province main venue event and the 2024 Sichuan Provincial Summer Cultural Tourism Promotion event kicked off in Leshan.

Under the theme "Explore China, Enjoy a Happy Life," the province-wide festivities featured over 700 diverse cultural and tourism activities and introduced more than 160 online and offline initiatives to benefit the public. The summer cultural tourism promotion, themed "Cool Tianfu, Relaxed Sichuan," presents "Escape to a Relaxed Summer - Sichuan Culture and Tourism Summer Travel Guide." This guide includes five key themes, ten routes, diverse cuisines and various activities, emphasizing premium summer travel routes, unique experiences, local delicacies and lesser-known, charming locations.

During the main venue event, the Sichuan cultural and tourism mascot, Panda Anyi, invited the audience to embark on the thrilling journey of "Relaxed Sichuan, Joyful Leshan, Vibrant Jiazhou." The opening performance, "When Begonias Bloom," uses the begonia as a thematic thread, weaving together cultural elements such as the flowering of begonias, the convergence of three rivers, and the ancient Jiazhou. A captivating short play vividly illustrates "Escape to a Relaxed Summer - Sichuan Culture and Tourism Summer Travel Guide," seen through the eyes of four classmates reuniting after a long separation. Additionally, ten boutique tourism routes were launched under five major sections, "Cultural Heritage Exploration," "Wellness and Summer Retreat Tour," "Western Sichuan Adventure," "Garden Delights Tour," and "Family Study Tour."

The "China Tourism Day" Sichuan-theme video was also unveiled at the main venue event. Across Sichuan, a mix of offline and online approaches is facilitating rich and diverse cultural tourism activities, including "Roaming 5.19: A Billion Wishes," "Joyful Journey 5.19: Travel with Ease," and "Tasting 5.19: Experience the Local Vibe."

Additionally, regions across the province are actively implementing public-benefiting policies. On May 19, all national A-class tourist sites in cities (prefectures), such as Guangyuan, Nanchong, Bazhong, and Luzhou, offered free entry to visitors. In Chengdu, attractions, including Nanbao Mountain, Zhuxi Lake, and Xindugui Lake, are offering promotional deals. From May 18 to 19, the Dafeishui scenic area at the front part of Xiling Snow Mountain is open to all with free entry. In Ya'an, the scenic areas of Mengding Mountain, Longcangou, and Laba River are accessible without charge. Cities (prefectures) such as Yibin, Mianyang, Suining, Ziyang, and Zigong have collectively distributed over 30 million yuan in tourism vouchers.

The "Panda Anyi - Culture and Tourism Pass" received another upgrade on the same day. Sichuan Bank, in partnership with 38,170 merchants, introduced more than 100 exclusive deals, including free entry to 120 attractions across five southwestern provinces (autonomous region, municipality), a maximum discount of 588 yuan on Sichuan Airlines flights, a 50 percent discount on high-speed train tickets, and various offers on dining, shopping and accommodations.