China’s tourism sector experienced a powerful resurgence during the three-day New Year holiday period commencing January 1st, 2026, marking the nation’s first significant travel peak of the year. Official data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism revealed an impressive 142 million domestic tourist excursions generated approximately 84.8 billion yuan ($12.13 billion) in tourism revenue, signaling robust consumer confidence and pent-up travel demand.
The extended holiday period—two days longer than previous years—provided ample opportunity for diverse travel experiences across the country. From the artistic enclaves of Beijing’s 798 Art District to winter wonderlands in northern counties, Chinese travelers demonstrated increasingly sophisticated preferences. Yan Lijie, a 23-year-old university student from Tianjin, exemplified this trend as she and her dorm mates celebrated New Year’s Eve amidst art exhibitions, fairs, and performances in the capital.
Industry experts noted a remarkable diversification in tourism consumption patterns. Qi Chunguang, Vice-President of travel portal Tuniu, observed that ‘younger travelers show stronger preferences for concerts, music festivals, drone shows or fireworks displays to count down to the new year.’ This generational shift toward experiential tourism was reflected in booking data from platform Qunar, which reported hotel reservations tripling in destinations like Kaifeng, Henan province, driven by Chinese-style theme parks.
The revival extended beyond major metropolitan areas, with travelers venturing to over 1,000 counties nationwide—from the tropical warmth of Nan’ao in Guangdong to the snowy landscapes of Antu in Jilin. International travel also witnessed substantial growth, with Chinese tourists favoring short-haul destinations including Seoul, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Simultaneously, China attracted visitors from 97 cities worldwide, particularly from neighboring Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, with significant increases from Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and the United States.
According to the National Immigration Administration, approximately 6.62 million cross-border movements were recorded during the holiday period, including 828,000 trips by foreign nationals—a striking 29.8% year-on-year increase, underscoring China’s reopening and growing appeal as a global tourism destination.