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Chinese travelers spread across China this Lunar New Year, chasing snow in Harbin, warmth in Xiamen, and visa-free trips in Southeast Asia.
The trips generated 677 billion yuan ($93 billion) in domestic tourism spending. There was a 5.9% increase in travel volume and a 7% rise in revenue compared to last year, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
China saw significant numbers in both inbound and outbound tourism, with around 14 million total cross-border travelers — up over 6% from the previous year, according to China Trading Desk.
Foreign visitors made up nearly one million of that total, up 23% from the same period last year, China’s National Immigration Administration said.
Trip.com Group witnessed a 180% increase in inbound tour ticket orders, while hotel bookings for foreign tourists rose over 60%. The top 10 inbound markets included South Korea, the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Russia, Australia and France. The increase in international tourists comes after a series of looser visa policies introduced by China last year.
But this Lunar New Year, it wasn’t just the usual megacities of Beijing and Shanghai drawing crowds — regional cities rich in cultural heritage took center stage.
UNESCO Recognition Fuels Cultural Tourism
This year marked the first Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, known as Spring Festival, since it was officially added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list last December.
UNESCO describes the list as a recognition of cultural traditions worldwide — such as performing arts, social practices, and festive events — that embody “the wealth of knowledge and skills transmitted from one generation to the next.”
Chinese cities leaned into the momentum of international recognition to spotlight their cultural heritage through organizing new year events such as lion dances, temple fairs, and folk art performances, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Experiencing local customs in culturally significant destinations was a “major focus” of this year’s Lunar New Year travel, according to Trip.com Group. Shijiazhuang, Fuzhou and Xi’an — rich in historical sites and heritage events — saw travel orders on the platform increase by 50%, 52% and 97%, respectively.
Fliggy, Alibaba’s travel service platform, had similar findings in its 2025 Spring Festival Travel report, noting a 40% rise in demand for “intangible heritage tours.” Tourism centered on folk performances, including Chinese opera and firework shows, rose by 36%.
Although international visitors primarily traveled to first-tier cities in China — such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou — smaller cities with popular historical sites like Dali, Zhuhai, and Beihai saw a growing interest on travel platforms like Qunar.
Data from Tujia, a major Chinese homestay booking platform, shows that reservations by foreign tourists during the holiday increased by 3.7 times year-on-year, with 51 townships receiving foreign guests for the first time.
Outbound Travel Takes Off
Beyond domestic travel, Chinese tourists visited over 2,100 cities worldwide this Lunar New Year, marking a 50% increase compared to last year, according to China Trading Desk.
Short-haul destinations such as Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong led the numbers in outbound travel, with Japan topping the list. Trip.com Group reported that bookings to Japan doubled, while Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia remained popular choices due to visa-free access and affordability.
Long-distance travel also gained momentum. Trips to the United States increased by 53%, while trips to Europe saw significant growth, with Spain, Italy, and France all saw a rise of more than 50% in bookings. While the official eight-day Chinese Lunar New Year holiday concluded on Wednesday, Feb. 5, the holiday travel rush season is expected to continue through Feb. 22, with total cross-regional trips expected to reach 9 billion.
