Chinese Embrace Travel During Spring Festival, Reflecting Changing Holiday Traditions
The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, has always been a time for family reunions and celebrations in China. However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in holiday traditions as more and more Chinese people choose to incorporate travel into their Spring Festival plans. This change was particularly evident this year as the holiday period extended to eight days, possibly nine with a flexible one-day paid leave, surpassing the usual one-week break in previous years.
According to data released by Chinese travel website Mafengwo, Monday and Tuesday of the Spring Festival week saw peak travel activity, indicating a growing trend of Chinese people opting for travel during this festive season. One tourist, surnamed Li, shared their experience, saying, “We made a random decision to drive to the historic city of Datong on Monday but were surprised to see a large number of tourists. Local hotel chains are almost always full, and restaurants almost always have a waiting line.”
Family travel accounted for 45 percent of all trips during the holiday, reflecting the trend of young people returning home for family reunions before embarking on trips with their families. This extended holiday period provides an excellent opportunity for families to spend quality time together and explore new destinations.
Popular tourist destinations during the Spring Festival included Beijing, Xi’an, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Many travelers took advantage of the holiday to visit museums, grottoes, temples, and other historical and cultural sites. This year, temple fairs and folk activities were also popular among tourists.
Another emerging trend observed during the Spring Festival was cross-regional travel between the northern and southern parts of China. Harbin, the capital of northeastern Heilongjiang Province, attracted people from the South who were eager to experience an ice-and-snow world. On the other hand, tropical cities like Sanya, Xishuangbanna, and Beihai remained favored destinations for those seeking winter getaways.
In addition to domestic travel, outbound tourism also experienced a surge during the Spring Festival. Data from multiple online travel platforms showed that outbound travel bookings on the first day of the holiday had already surpassed the figures from 2019. Southeast Asian countries, particularly those with visa-free policies for Chinese nationals, emerged as red-hot destinations for Chinese travelers. Bookings for hotels in Bangkok tripled year on year, while reservations for Singaporean hotels reported a stunning growth of 800 percent.
European destinations also made efforts to attract Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival. A Michelin-starred restaurant in downtown London launched a menu specially designed for the Year of the Dragon, while a railway in Switzerland’s Jungfrau region was decorated with Chinese elements to welcome Chinese tourists. These initiatives highlight the growing importance of the Chinese tourism market and the efforts made by destinations to cater to Chinese travelers.
The increase in outbound tourism during the Spring Festival is part of a larger trend. In 2023, China saw its outbound passenger trips exceed 87 million, and this figure is projected to reach 130 million in 2024, according to the China Tourism Academy. This growth in outbound tourism is expected to continue, especially as the tourism industry recovers from the impact of the pandemic.
The revved-up Spring Festival tourism consumption is seen as a positive sign for the tourism sector in 2024. The China Tourism Academy estimates that over 6 billion domestic trips will be made this year, and the total number of inbound and outbound travelers is expected to exceed 260 million. Qi Chunguang, vice president of Tuniu, a travel platform, believes that with the recovery of the economy, the resumption of international flights, and the relaxation of visa policies, both domestic and outbound tourism will continue to grow.
The Spring Festival has evolved from a purely family-oriented holiday to a time when Chinese people embrace travel and explore different cultures. This change reflects the shifting preferences and aspirations of Chinese travelers, who are increasingly seeking unique experiences and opportunities to create lasting memories with their loved ones. As the tourism industry continues to recover and expand, it is expected that more Chinese people will choose to embark on journeys during the Spring Festival, further enriching their holiday traditions and contributing to the growth of the tourism sector.