Recent data from the TRIP.COM platform reveals that this year's Spring Festival travel market exhibited significant dual trends of 'in-depth experiences' and 'internationalization.' Travelers from China are no longer content with simple family reunions or visiting popular tourist spots; instead, they are pursuing richer cultural experiences and more flexible multi-city itineraries. Concurrently, the Chinese New Year is increasingly attracting global visitors for immersive experiences, gradually establishing itself as a world-class cultural phenomenon.
According to TRIP.COM data, during the Spring Festival period, cities including Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Harbin, Sanya, Xi'an, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Wuhan remained the most popular domestic destinations for travelers nationwide. Additionally, several niche destinations offering unique local character and cultural experiences saw significant growth: bookings for Yan'an in Shaanxi increased by 70% year-on-year, Tai'an in Shandong grew by 65%, and Pu'er in Yunnan rose by 59%. Destinations like Kekedala in Xinjiang, Wenchang in Hainan, and Chongzuo in Guangxi all achieved growth exceeding 56%, while Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, Yuxi in Yunnan, Shuanghe in Xinjiang, and Wuxi in Jiangsu all registered growth rates above 48%.
Cultural experiences, particularly those centered on intangible cultural heritage, emerged as the most popular travel theme. In northern China, traditional New Year painting techniques boosted tourism in ancient cities. Bookings for Tianjin increased by 29% year-on-year, while overall bookings for Kaifeng and Zhengzhou in Henan grew by 50% and 27%, respectively. In southern China, lantern festivals and intangible heritage performances were equally popular. Bookings for Huangshan in Anhui rose by 32%, and Zigong in Sichuan saw a 20% increase. The Yingge dance from the Chaoshan region gained widespread popularity again this Spring Festival, leading to a 36% increase in bookings for Shantou and a 31% increase for Chaozhou in Guangdong. Similarly, destinations like Jingdezhen in Jiangxi and Quanzhou in Fujian also experienced surges in popularity due to their intangible cultural heritage, with booking growth of 48% and 12%, respectively.
The powerful cultural appeal of the Chinese New Year is attracting global attention. Data shows that the number of international visitors staying in China for 4 to 7 days during the festival increased by 18% year-on-year, while the number of visitors engaging in deeper, longer stays of over 7 days grew by 12%.
Furthermore, on February 17th, the first day of the Lunar New Year, China's visa-free entry policy for ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom officially took effect. Data indicates that during the first Spring Festival under this new policy, inbound travel bookings to China from Canada on the TRIP.COM platform increased by 75%, and bookings from the UK grew by 37%.
Comments