e(ECNS) -- The online buzz surrounding the barbecue feast in East China's Zibo city may have cooled, but the city continues to attract visitors, including a growing number of international tourists.
Former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins was among the latest to sample the local specialty, grilling meat skewers and wrapping them in small pancakes at a barbecue restaurant in the city.
Cousins's visit turned a late-night meal into a cultural experience.
Three years after the online barbecue boom put Zibo on the map, foot traffic remains steady at the city's popular Bajor Market, according to Zheng Haolin, head of the market's management office. The market received more than 19 million visitors in 2023, 18.9 million in 2024 and more than 18.7 million in 2025. As of July 2026, more than 12 million people had visited, with the annual total expected to remain around 18 million to 19 million.
"What has cooled down is probably just the online buzz," Zheng said. "The fluctuation in visitor numbers is only a few hundred thousand each year. With a base of about 18 million visitors annually, the daily variation is very small."
Zheng also noted a significant shift: The number of international visitors has increased notably since 2024. Most are students studying in China, along with tour groups from Southeast Asia.
The restaurant that hosted Cousins set a goal in February of taking photos with diners from 50 countries. By August, that target had been met, with photos of the French ambassador to China, solo travelers from Sweden, tourists from Russia and Bangladesh, and Chinese nationals from overseas communities in Malaysia and Singapore.
A floor manager at the restaurant said she became friends with a Bangladeshi photographer who visited three times — first with friends, then with more friends and finally with his family.
Actress Xie Huiting, who performs in the restaurant's cultural show, recalled international students praising the performance and the food.
The owner said that beyond price, service and quality, cultural experiences are essential to turning short-lived online attention into lasting visitor loyalty. He introduced a 360-degree stage show featuring stories from ancient Chinese history, which runs alongside the dining experience.
A local resident who grew up in the area said the key to attracting visitors is simply good service and quality products. "That's the foundation for welcoming friends from elsewhere," he said.
(By Tang Yuxian)
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