The gourmet postcards

The 2026 Quanzhou Flavour Snacks Check-in Passport

　　Scan the QR code to follow the 'Quanzhou Flavour' WeChat account for check-in guides and information on the participating restaurants.

　　From a creative idea that broke out online to careful, craft-focused execution; from building momentum on social media to landing it on the ground. After three months of preparation, the printed 2026 Quanzhou Flavour Snacks Check-in Passport and its companion set of gourmet postcards were launched recently at Quanzhou Vocational College of Light Industry. About 200 people took part, including officials from the relevant departments, owners of the 22 alliance restaurants, representatives of the Quanzhou Flavour Snacks Trade Association, and teachers and students.

　　Text by multimedia reporter Qiu Feng; photographs by Quanzhou Flavour.

　　Launch opens a new chapter: restaurant owners carry the flame of Quanzhou flavour and draw a new picture of the city's food scene

　　The event opened with Huang Jiaxing, secretary-general of the Quanzhou Flavour Snacks Trade Association, reviewing progress so far. Since the campaign began in June, the organisers had completed the recruitment of participating businesses and the collection of material and stories, and had selected 22 alliance restaurants. From June to September, AI-generated 'cute contrast' posters, summer-themed check-in routes, feature articles on famous snack shops and video visits drew the attention of large numbers of residents, visitors and travel influencers. Many shop owners reported that more young people and out-of-town visitors were coming in to check in, raising their profiles noticeably: street snacks were being turned into a city tourism IP that people can visit, share and experience. From October to December, the 'follow the passport and hunt for flavours' campaign will continue, using the passport, the companion postcards and an AI scripted city walk to link flavour stops across the city and turn check-in traffic into revenue for the shops.

　　Officials and guests then unveiled the passport and the postcards together. A postcard signing ceremony followed, at which the owners of the 22 alliance restaurants signed copies by hand for the students present and handed out free postcards from the 2026 Flavour Snacks Check-in Passport set. One student said: 'A passport and a set of postcards make Quanzhou's old-fashioned flavours tangible. They make me want to go into the old city and hunt for good food.'

　　A few square inches carry a hundred flavours; postcards send the city's character afar: collect stamps and enjoy National Day holiday rewards

　　From now until December, the organisers are running a stamp-collecting check-in campaign, 'Follow the passport and hunt for flavours'. Residents and visitors who spend money at any of the 22 alliance restaurants can collect a stamp at the shop's stamping point. Collect 10 shop stamps and you can claim one pack each of Crayon Shin-chan branded ginger duck feet and satay-and-sesame-paste chicken feet (500 packs available). Collect 15 and you can claim a commemorative gift set of 2026 Flavour Snacks Check-in Passport postcards (500 sets). Collect all 22 and you can claim a RMB 200 bread voucher from Wushi Bakery (50 available). Each passport can be used for one tiered gift only, on a first-come, first-served basis. Scanning the QR code also gives access to themed guides published by the 'Quanzhou Flavour' WeChat account, designed to suit a full day of eating your way around the city.

　　The postcards are printed as official postage-paid postcards carrying a World Heritage stamp design. They can be mailed anywhere in China, carrying Quanzhou's snack culture with them, or kept as souvenirs. According to Li Canqian, a business manager with the postal services division of Quanzhou Post, the 22 cards work like 22 miniature 'flavour files': the front shows a Quanzhou snack, while the attached leaflet gives directions to the shop and a range of offers - for example RMB 20 off a bill of RMB 100, 11% off a single purchase, or a complimentary speciality gift or side dish. The aim is to convert interest into spending through real, tangible discounts.

　　Digital technology gives the tour a new twist: a smart, playful quest through the old city, blending online and offline to light up a new Quanzhou flavour experience

　　Alongside the physical launch, an electronic version of the passport went online at the same time. Residents and visitors can obtain it through the online platform and navigate easily to the 22 alliance restaurants, so that online navigation and offline check-ins reinforce each other.

　　The organisers have also developed a companion 'AI scripted city walk' for the passport. Wang Zhengming, general manager of the developer Quanzhou Hongwen Technology, says the company provides an integrated digital tourism solution combining a technology platform, creative content and a distribution network. The team built a bespoke AI scripted route, 'World Heritage everyday life: a passport flavour hunt'. Using location-based services (LBS), the storyline unlocks automatically when players reach real-world spots such as the Bell Tower, Zhongshan Road, West Street and Tumen Street, and it supports multiple players exploring at the same time. Tasks include hunting out old ICH shops and identifying dishes through augmented reality, with a data dashboard tracking participation and merchant redemptions in real time.

　　In terms of creative content, the AI walk turns 'collecting stamps' into 'clearing levels'. Starting from Quanzhou's Bell Tower, it links historic districts with local food to create an immersive 'stroll the old city, eat snacks, solve puzzles' experience. Cultural elements such as the stories behind the snacks are built into the tasks, making it both entertaining and educational. The online walk guides exploration, while the 22 alliance restaurants stamp the physical passport; the two sets of rewards stack. Every long-established snack shop becomes a 'mission point' in the storyline, and the Quanzhou flavour snack alliance becomes a real-world game map.

　　Residents and visitors can open the 'Quanzhou Flavour' WeChat account, tap the 'Snack Passport' menu, download the electronic passport and try the AI scripted city walk, setting off on a different kind of online food journey.

　　A small passport, but it is a walking museum of food and a vivid cultural calling card for the city. With the official launch of the 2026 Flavour Snacks Check-in Passport and its companion postcards, a map of Quanzhou's snack culture is unfolding - one you can read, wander, taste and play - injecting fresh energy into the National Day holiday tourism market.

　　How to get one free

　　Until 31 October, residents and visitors can pick up a free printed passport during office hours at either of the following locations:

　　1. Reception, ground floor, Advertising Centre, Quanzhou Evening News. Enquiries: 0595-22500282

　　2. Cultural and Creative Gallery, ground-floor business hall, Postal Building, Jiuyi Street, Quanzhou. Enquiries: 13960287342

　　Pop-up distribution booths will also be set up progressively at the airport, high-speed railway station and major landmark attractions, making it easier for all visitors to hunt for Quanzhou’s authentic flavours.