(Yicai) Oct. 1 -- Engines roared at the foot of Helan Mountain in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Thursday, as more than 700 drivers and riders from across the country competed in an off-road race on the first day of the seven-day National Day holiday.

The seventh Helan Mountain Auto and Motorcycle Off-Road Race, which began on Sept. 30 in Shizuishan City, Ningxia, will run through Oct. 6 along an 80-kilometer route through the Gobi Desert and canyons.

The event is part of broader efforts to leverage sporting events to attract visitors and stimulate holiday consumption. As one of 23 major sporting events being held in Ningxia from mid-September through the end of October, this event spans the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.

Ningxia, known for its wine industry, has issued online wine consumption vouchers worth three million yuan (447,000 U.S. dollars) and offered discounts on local tourist attractions for visitors with sports event tickets.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the Eastern Foothill of Helan Mountain Half Marathon, held in Yinchuan on Sept. 26, attracted 5,500 runners from more than 10 provincial-level regions. The route passed vineyards and wineries, while post-race activities included wine tasting, vintage tram tours of local wineries, food fairs and open-air concerts.

Local authorities are also seeking to turn event-related visitor traffic into longer stays and broader spending.

In Shizuishan, the former coal-mining town of Shitanjing, now an industrial heritage tourism site, has attracted visitors alongside local markets and other attractions. Last year's off-road race recorded nearly 300,000 visits and generated about 15 million yuan in spending on catering, accommodation and retail, according to local authorities.

"Riding past the wineries, I could smell the ripening grapes, and I plan to visit nearby scenic spots after the race. Events like this offer a good way to experience Ningxia," said Zhang Kun, a cyclist from Xi'an who took part in the inaugural Eastern Foothill of Helan Mountain Wine Cycling Open in late August which attracted 1,815 riders from 21 provincial-level regions.

Similar efforts to weave sports into tourism and consumption are also taking place elsewhere in China during the holidays.

In Anshan, northeast China's Liaoning Province, a Liaoning City Football League match drew 40,623 spectators on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Ticket holders were also offered free admission to scenic spots and free rides on public transport.

In Yuanling County, central China's Hunan Province, the International Canoe Federation Dragon Boat World Cup, held from Sept. 25 to 27 during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, brought together 24 teams from 16 countries and regions.

"The World Cup's return to the birthplace of dragon boat racing is not only a sporting event but also a cultural homecoming," said Luk Wai-hung, Chairman of the International Canoe Federation's Dragon Boat Committee.

In Qinhuangdao, north China's Hebei Province, more than 50 sporting events are being held during the two holidays. An ILCA-class Asian Cup sailing event has generated more than 13 million yuan in related consumer spending, according to local authorities.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched a cultural and tourism consumption campaign on Sept. 22, featuring more than 20,000 activities and more than 310 million yuan in consumption vouchers.

China's General Administration of Sport has promoted its "Travel with Sports Events" initiative under the National Fitness Plan (2026-2030), encouraging the integration of sports with tourism and other forms of consumption.

"We will further integrate sports, culture, tourism and consumption, leveraging holiday periods to promote the initiative and turn sports-event traffic into stronger tourism and consumption growth," said Ai Yu, an official with China's General Administration of Sport.