China has hailed the success of its longest-ever Lunar New Year holiday, as record domestic travel and tourism spending delivered a significant boost to the economy.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 596 million domestic trips were made during the nine-day Spring Festival break, which ended on Monday. Total tourism spending reached 803.5 billion yuan, approximately $117 billion, marking the highest figures ever recorded for the holiday period.
Both trips and revenue rose by almost 19% compared with last year’s eight-day break, after authorities extended the public holiday in a bid to stimulate spending on travel, food, and entertainment.
@julia_chinacompass ⚠️For who is planning to travel to China during the upcoming weeks…The travel rush named "Chunyun" might be the biggest migration on earth you have ever met… More than 9.5 billion ppl trips in 40 days from 2nd Feb until 12th March this year…😱#chinatravel #chinesenewyear #lifeinchina #traveltips #chinanews ♬ 刘德华、王宝强、刘昊然唱跳《恭喜发财2020》 – 刘德华、王宝强、刘昊然
Extended break drives record movement
Compared with 2025, travellers made 95 million more trips, while tourism revenue increased by 126.5 billion yuan year-on-year.
However, spending per trip stood at 1,348 yuan, slightly below last year’s 1,351 yuan, a marginal dip of 0.2%. The figures suggest that while more people travelled, consumers remained cautious in their individual spending.
The strong performance forms part of what is already a record-setting Spring Festival season. As reported by Travel Tomorrow, China’s 40-day New Year travel rush, which began on 2 February, is forecast to generate 9.5 billion journeys, marking the largest annual human migration in the world. The 2026 season, welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse, is expected to see a 5.32% increase in overall traveller numbers year-on-year.
From iconic landmarks to rural traditions
Destinations across the country reported surging visitor numbers.
Major scenic sites such as the Great Wall in Beijing and the Danxia landforms in Guangdong were packed with tourists. Smaller and more remote villages in Fujian also saw an influx of visitors drawn by traditional folk activities such as “you shen”, a vibrant parade honouring local deities.
In Sichuan province, the Jiuzhaigou scenic area received 182,700 visitors through 23 February, an increase of 17.7% compared with last year’s holiday. Zhangjiajie, the dramatic mountain park in central China, reported a 10.27% year-on-year rise in visitor numbers during the first five days of the break.
Major cities likewise posted solid results. Shanghai welcomed 21.67 million visitors over the holiday, up 8.36%, while tourism-related spending rose 20.9% to 25.6 billion yuan. Beijing recorded 19.84 million visitors and a total tourism revenue of 33.14 billion yuan.
Travel platforms noted that lower-tier cities and county-level destinations benefited from travellers seeking a more traditional “New Year flavour”. LY.COM reported that hotel bookings in parts of Guangdong, including Shantou, rose by more than 80% compared with a year earlier.
The intense demand was evident for individuals such as Liu Jian, a 32-year-old Beijing resident, who struggled to secure tickets for a molten-iron fireworks display in Tangshan, a two-hour journey from the capital.
“The ticket is 98 yuan, way more than the usual 38, but they’ve got tons of Spring Festival-only shows, so it’s popular. The tickets are gone the second they go on sale, and I just can’t get one,” she said.
@themotyy happy cny y’all!!! #chongqing #china ♬ original sound – user23079069307
Catering thrives while box office falters
The tourism boom was mirrored in the catering sector. Sales revenue at key catering businesses monitored by the Ministry of Commerce increased by 5.2% compared with last year’s holiday.
Hotpot chain Haidilao said it served more than seven million customers nationwide in the first five days of the break, with traffic on Lunar New Year’s Eve and the first day of the new year rising by more than 10% year-on-year.
Lin Yu Fried Chicken reported more than 3.7 million store visits during the holiday period, boosted by people returning to their hometowns. One outlet located in a scenic area of Rizhao in Shandong province recorded order volumes nearly seven times higher than on regular days.
In contrast, the box office saw a significant slump. Spring Festival cinema takings totalled 5.75 billion yuan, down 39.5% year-on-year, while total admissions fell 35.8% to 120 million, according to ticketing platform Maoyan. Analysts attributed the decline to weaker word of mouth surrounding new film releases.
@meetchinatour Happy Chinese New Year🎆 📍 Shantou Guangdong #chinesenewyear #meetchina #chinatravel #chinatrip #exploretheworld ♬ …? – daniel.mp3 & Zamaro
A positive signal for 2026
The record-breaking holiday performance will be welcomed by Chinese authorities, who have extended the break specifically to encourage domestic consumption amid ongoing economic caution.
While spending per trip suggests households remain prudent, the overall scale of travel and total revenue underscores the continued strength of domestic tourism as a pillar of China’s economic strategy.
With the wider 9.5 billion-journey Spring Festival travel season still underway, the Year of the Fire Horse has begun with powerful momentum for the country’s tourism sector.
