More Foreign Visitors Celebrated the Spring Festival in China

China saw a remarkable surge in inbound tourism during the Spring Festival holiday.

China recorded 14.37 million cross-border trips during the Spring Festival holiday, 6.3 percent more than a year earlier. According to official data, China saw 958,000 cross-border trips made by foreigners during the holiday, up 22.9 percent from the previous year.

Data from travel platforms also reflected this trend, with inbound tourism bookings on Trip.com growing 203 percent year-on-year during the holiday, while domestic flight bookings on Qunar using non-Chinese passports rose by 70 percent.

Immersing in City’s Rich History and Culture

Xi’an in Shaanxi province, a city steeped in history, emerged as a popular destination for international tourists. The city’s entry ports handled 47,000 inbound and outbound trips during the holiday, with daily passenger traffic increasing 84 percent.

The Heslops, a couple from the United Kingdom, said they were impressed by the festive atmosphere in Xi’an. They visited the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, Xi’an Museum and Xi’an City Wall, immersing themselves in the city’s rich history.

Italian tourist Ada, who compared Xi’an to Rome for its historical significance, was amazed by the Terracotta Warriors. “Xi’an perfectly blends history with modernity, and the Spring Festival celebrations add unique charm to the city,” she said.

In Henan province, cities including Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and Luoyang attracted large numbers of international visitors. They experienced vibrant cultural activities, such as lantern shows, temple fairs and traditional folk performances.

According to data from Trip.com, inbound tourism orders in Zhengzhou surged 132 percent year-on-year. Luoyang saw a 100 percent increase in inbound tourism orders while Kaifeng saw a 92 percent increase.

Universal Appeal of the Festival

This year, the nation celebrated its first Spring Festival after the festival was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Roberto Andrade Figueroa, a Mexican scholar from Harvard Kennedy School, observed the universal appeal of the festival.

Spring Festival, mostly celebrated in Chinese communities across the world, embodies a universal human experience of spending time with family and relishing a fresh start, he said.