Record Domestic Travel for 2026 Spring Festival in China

Spring travel rush with Chinese lanterns and landscapes.

During the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, an impressive total of 596 million domestic trips were made across China. The cultural and tourism sectors organized the theme event "Joyfully Celebrating the New Year" with meticulous planning, implementing various measures to ensure market order and safety. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's data center, during this nine-day holiday, domestic travel experienced an increase of 95 million compared to the eight-day holiday in 2025, reaching a total expenditure of 803.483 billion yuan, marking a notable increase of 12.648 billion yuan from the previous year. Both the number of holiday visitors and total spending reached historic highs, reflecting a robust and stable national cultural and tourism market.

Cultural activities played a significant role in enhancing the festive spirit, creating a vibrant atmosphere for the New Year. Highlights included a series of performances themed "Celebrating the New Year with Intangible Heritage - Exploring the Flavors of the Chinese New Year," featuring numerous showcases and temple fairs that entertained audiences in various regions. The "2026 Intangible Heritage Gala" topped the ratings, demonstrating the popularity of artistic performances. Events like “Gathering Drama in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei: Spring Festival Performance Season,” “Xi’an’s Daily Qin Opera,” and “Ice and Snow Performance Season in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang” greatly enriched the festive experiences of the local communities.

The trend of celebrating the New Year in cultural and museum venues has gained traction, with various cultural exhibitions and experiential activities launched in regions such as Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Ningxia. This allowed both citizens and tourists to immerse themselves in traditional culture. Public welfare measures were pivotal in invigorating tourism consumption, leading to a prosperous start to the new year. Throughout January 2026, a variety of cultural and tourism consumption events were actively conducted nationwide, including the distribution of consumer vouchers and special subsidies aimed at boosting market activities.

Fujian province stood out by introducing over 4,300 cultural and tourism consumption initiatives and providing more than 560 preferential policies. In Hunan, approximately 3,000 promotional activities were conducted through consumer vouchers, discounts on scenic spots, and community artistic performances. Meanwhile, Chongqing launched over 1,300 cultural tourism activities, distributing 50 million yuan in travel subsidies, thereby fostering a lively tourism market.

The nighttime economy has thrived, with bustling cultural districts lighting up locations such as the ancient city of Luoyang and the May Day business district in Changsha, showcasing vibrant tourism consumption. The integration of culture and tourism has not only spurred revitalization across various industries but has also facilitated innovative technological applications that enhance experiences. The intangible cultural heritage lantern festival in Quanzhou, Fujian, showcased over 2,000 heritage lanterns combined with digital light technologies, creating stunning visual effects and immersive experiences.

Winter tourism has also generated considerable excitement, with Harbin's Ice and Snow World offering a "New Year Ice and Snow Feast" complete with themed ice sculptures, trendy performances, light shows, and interactive experiences. Rural tourism flourished, featuring products like traditional town customs, rural specialty routes, and pastoral experiences, inviting visitors to appreciate the picturesque landscapes and nostalgic charm of the countryside. Furthermore, film and television intellectual properties increasingly engaged the tourism sector, as many regions launched theme tours and special exhibitions linked to popular dramas, cultivating new trends in cultural tourism.