Tourists experience the local bamboo dance with residents of Maona village, Hainan province, on Wednesday, in celebration of the Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING — For the Chinese, the eternal theme of the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, remains the family reunion, but a growing number of Chinese are choosing to integrate travel into their holiday traditions.
The change was seen this year, as the Spring Festival holiday lasted eight days – possibly nine with a flexible paid leave of one day – exceeding the usual one-week holiday in previous years.
According to data released Saturday by Chinese travel site Mafengwo, Monday and Tuesday saw peak travel activity.
“We made a random decision to drive to the historic city of Datong (in northern China) on Monday, but were surprised to see a large number of tourists. The local hotel chains are almost always full, and the restaurants almost always have a waiting line.” said a tourist named Li.
NEW TRENDS IN DOMESTIC TOURISM
According to Mafengwo, family trips accounted for 45 percent of all trips during the holidays, reflecting a trend of young people returning home for family gatherings before embarking on trips with their families, taking advantage of the extended vacation period .
Beijing, Xi’an and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area were among the most popular tourist destinations, Mafengwo said, adding that visiting museums, caves, temples and other historical and cultural sites was another highlight. of this year’s Spring Festival trip. after temple fairs and popular activities.
A report by travel portal Tuniu.com showed an emerging trend for cross-regional travel between the northern and southern parts of the country during the holidays.
Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province, has maintained its growing popularity among southerners eager to explore a world of ice and snow, while tropical cities such as Sanya, Xishuangbanna and Beihai remain favorite destinations for northerners looking for winter escapes.
OUTBOUND TOURISM ARISES
Data from several online travel platforms showed that on the first day of the eight-day holiday, outbound travel bookings have already surpassed 2019’s figure, with Southeast Asian countries in particular those with visa-free policies for Chinese citizens, emerging as red destinations. .
From February 10 to 13, hotel bookings in Bangkok tripled year-on-year, while Singapore hotel bookings reported a staggering 800 percent growth, according to travel platform LY.com .
Several European destinations have introduced unique strategies to attract Chinese tourists. A Michelin-starred restaurant in central London has launched a special menu for the Year of the Loong (Dragon), while a railway to the famous Jungfrau scenic spot in Switzerland has been decorated with Chinese elements to greet Chinese tourists among the ‘February 8. and 20.
With a substantial increase in outbound tourism, this holiday is projected to see a daily port clearance of 1.8 million people throughout the country, more than three times the previous year and almost reaching the level of 2019, according to the National Immigration Administration.
According to a market forecast by Ctrip, a leading travel platform in China, the eight-day holiday will mark the country’s first travel rush of the year, with a notable increase in international travel being one of the highlights culminating.
“Destinations in Southeast Asia have continued to gain traction as many in China have opted for the region for an escape from the winter season,” said Gao Tao, from Tuniu. “The tourism industry has gone through a rough patch in the last three years due to the pandemic. But now it is ready for a growth spurt, especially in outbound tourism.”
In 2023, China saw its outbound passenger trips exceed 87 million, and this figure is expected to reach 130 million in 2024, according to a document published by the China Tourism Academy.
UPWARD MOMENTUM
Experts believe that the tourism consumption of the Spring Festival, on the rise, heralds a growing moment in the tourism sector in 2024.
In a recent report, the China Tourism Academy estimated that more than 6 billion domestic trips will be made in 2024, and the total number of inbound and outbound travelers is expected to exceed 260 million.
“With the recovery of the economy, the resumption of international flights and the relaxation of visa policies, it is expected that the scale of domestic tourism consumption will continue to grow in 2024, and the scale of outbound tourism it will be fully advanced,” he said. Qi Chunguang, vice president of Tuniu.
