Spring Festival holiday sees over 2.8 billion trips, with cultural and tourism consumption becoming more trendy

News Reporter Tang Ying

The 2026 Spring Festival holiday has come to an end, and the 9-day break further boosted residents’ travel, family visits, tourism, and consumption needs. According to data released by the Ministry of Transport, during the Spring Festival holiday (February 15 to 23), the total cross-regional population movement is expected to exceed 2.8 billion trips.

The extended holiday allows consumers to travel farther and enjoy more diverse activities, with segmented travel becoming the mainstream. Data from Tuniu shows two peak travel periods during the holiday: the first in the southern regions on the first day of the holiday, mainly for family visits and reunions, and from the second day onward, family travel experienced explosive growth, with three generations traveling together becoming a holiday highlight. Meituan Travel data indicates that during the Spring Festival, bookings for family tickets increased by 76% year-on-year, and multi-generational travel has become a new trend. In terms of destinations, the average person checked into 2.2 cities during the holiday, and the proportion of travelers visiting multiple cities for cultural and tourism activities increased by 50% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, reverse travel for the New Year has become a new choice for more families to reunite. In the week before the holiday, bookings for flights to cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou saw a significant increase among travelers over 50 years old. Meituan Travel data shows that Shenzhen, a popular reverse New Year destination, experienced a “good start” in cultural and tourism consumption during the holiday, with bookings up 77% year-on-year. The Window of the World, Shenzhen Happy Valley, and Shenzhen Splendid China Folk Culture Village became popular attractions for visitors.

Following traditional “New Year flavor” remains the core theme of domestic travel during the Spring Festival. The demand for experiential consumption such as intangible cultural heritage, folk customs exhibitions, and performances increased significantly in 2026. Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions became popular destinations for traditional customs tours. Several特色县城 (special county towns), supported by convenient transportation, attracted visitors from all directions. Data from LY.com shows that among the top ten popular destinations for traditional New Year experiences, Shantou ranked first, with Fuzhou, Ganzhou, and Dehong also making the list. The platform data indicates that hotel and homestay bookings in counties like Huangshan Yixian, Guilin Yangshuo County, and Jinzhong Pingyao County increased by over 400% year-on-year.

Additionally, ice and snow tourism continues to be popular, with traditional destinations like Harbin and Changbai Mountain remaining hot spots. Harbin Ice and Snow World gained popularity due to the Spring Festival Gala’s sub-venue effect. Indoor ski resorts such as Nantong Sandi Ice and Snow Ocean Park and Shenzhen World of Wonders Alps Ice and Snow World have become top choices for southern tourists to experience winter fun.

In outbound travel, following major events has become a new trend this Spring Festival. Data from LY.com shows that hotel bookings for Italian cities like Milan and Venice during the holiday increased by over 200% year-on-year.

Beyond cultural and tourism markets, product consumption during the Spring Festival holiday also shows new trends. As of February 19, 2026, the “trade-in” campaign for consumer goods benefited 28.88 million people, driving sales of 198.02 billion yuan. Data from Suning.com indicates that automatic water and floor cleaning robots, smart temperature-controlled refrigerators, and large-screen TVs supporting voice interaction are the most popular smart home appliances. AI-integrated scenario experience new smart home appliances have become the top choices for New Year shopping, accounting for 55% of related product sales.

(Edited by: Wen Jing)