Data shows that during the 9-day Spring Festival holiday in 2026, Shanghai received a total of 21.6721 million tourist visits. February 23rd marked the final day of the 2026 Spring Festival holiday. According to data from the Ministry of Transport, during the first 20 days of the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, cross-regional passenger trips across society reached 5.08 billion, averaging 250 million per day, setting a new record for the same period. Alongside the record-breaking travel data, the "longest Spring Festival holiday in history" delivered impressive tourism results.
Data from multiple online travel platforms indicates that both the volume of travel bookings and per capita spending increased during this year's Spring Festival holiday. Many famous attractions across the country faced ticket shortages during the peak travel period, with highlights including nearby travel, long-distance trips, and family-oriented tourism. Hainan, experiencing its first Spring Festival holiday after the island-wide customs closure, saw shopping tourism热度 reach new highs. From the first day of the Year of the Horse (February 17th) to the 22nd, Sanya's免税 sales exceeded 200 million yuan for six consecutive days.
The extended holiday significantly boosted demand for long-haul outbound travel during the Spring Festival. Benefiting from the 2026 Winter Olympics, hotel bookings in popular Italian destinations like Milan increased by over 200% year-on-year. Malaysia's The Star reported on the 23rd that economists and business executives noted highly active consumption across various sectors during China's record 9-day Spring Festival holiday, releasing an encouraging signal for consumer confidence.
According to comprehensive assessments by relevant departments, the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush (starting February 2nd, lasting 40 days) is expected to see 9.5 billion cross-regional passenger trips, potentially reaching a historic high. Ministry of Transport data shows that as of February 21st, the halfway point of the travel rush, the first 20 days already saw 5.08 billion trips. From the 19th to the 21st, daily cross-regional passenger flow exceeded the historical single-day peak for three consecutive days. On the 22nd, trips exceeded 380 million, with an estimated 360 million on the 23rd.
Reports released on the 23rd by several online travel platforms summarized new trends and characteristics of tourism consumption during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday. Data from Tongcheng Travel's report showed that traditional New Year customs remained a major attraction, with seeking authentic "New Year atmosphere" being the mainstream for domestic travel. Various Spring Festival cultural activities in Guangdong and Fujian became highly popular, with destinations like Shantou seeing significant increases in tourism热度. Hainan experienced a boom in shopping tourism, with hotel bookings up over 70% year-on-year. "Celebrating the New Year with AI" emerged as a new trend, with young people流行 consulting AI about local Spring Festival customs.
A report from Qunar indicated that the超长假期 pushed overall travel热度 during the 2026 Spring Festival to a record high. Both "traveling for the New Year" and "returning home for New Year travels" were immensely popular, revealing new trends such as a 56% year-on-year increase in hotel stays by travelers over 60 years old. The 9-day holiday also benefited outbound travel, with Thailand reclaiming the top spot for Chinese tourists. Conversely, international visitors flocked to China for the celebrations, with Qunar data showing foreign travelers booking domestic flights covering 107 Chinese cities.
Data from Fliggy showed domestic travel orders during the holiday reached a new high, with ticket orders up over 80% and hotel room nights up 75% year-on-year. The platform also saw a nearly 10-fold surge in inbound flight bookings. A Meituan report revealed that users visited an average of 2.2 cities during the holiday, with the proportion of people engaging in cultural tourism消费 across multiple cities increasing by 50% year-on-year.
Li Chang'an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, stated on the 23rd that the extended holiday was a key factor driving the升温 of long-distance travel. The longer break created conditions for cross-regional trips and deeper experiences, with a significant rise in family and multi-generational travel, reflecting a trend towards reunion-focused and quality travel. This shift is expected to profoundly impact future tourism product structures and consumption models, pushing the market towards longer trips and family-oriented upgrades.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on the 23rd that preliminary data indicated growth in consumer spending and record-breaking tourism during the Chinese Spring Festival, signaling changes in consumption patterns. Malaysia's The Star noted that the 9-day holiday provided more time for消费活动 in tourism, catering, entertainment, and retail, injecting strong momentum into the early-year consumer market. Chinese government data showed that during the first four days of the holiday, average daily sales at key retail and catering enterprises increased by 8.6% compared to the same period in the 2025 holiday. The report quoted Gu Qingyang, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, stating that the Chinese government views consumption as a key economic driver, with Spring Festival holiday spending serving as an important barometer. "These increases indicate that pro-consumption policies have achieved tangible results," he said.
The Spring Festival has always been a key window for observing the Chinese economy. Russia's Sputnik commented on the 20th that the Chinese government's extension of the 2026 holiday to 9 days gave people more time with family, subsequently shifting consumption towards tourism and services, thereby enhancing the multiplier effect on transportation, hotels, and entertainment. This year's holiday demonstrated how China stimulates the economy by guiding consumption behavior. If this strategy is implemented, major holidays could become a常规手段 for boosting the economy, highlighting the importance of domestic demand as a cornerstone for China's long-term sustainable development.
"Chinese New Year atmosphere" spread worldwide, carried by overseas Chinese and outbound tourists. Sputnik noted a significant increase in outbound travel bookings by Chinese tourists during the holiday, with destinations主要集中在 countries offering favorable visa policies and stable political relations with China, particularly Russia and Thailand. The BBC reported on the 22nd about a major Chinese New Year celebration in central London, featuring dance, music, and dragon performances. "The event, billed as the largest Lunar New Year celebration outside Asia, attracted tens of thousands of people to Chinatown," the report said. Besides London, Chinese communities in Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, and York also celebrated the annual "Spring Festival or Chinese New Year." Organizers were quoted explaining the different names: "In China, it's called Spring Festival; abroad, it's called Chinese New Year. For those celebrating abroad, it represents diversity and equality." They added, "It's not a religious holiday; it's more about our hopes for harvest, the new year, family harmony, health, and success."
Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported on the 21st that to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Moscow Metro launched a Spring Festival-themed train for the second year, following 2025. The train, primarily red, features designs of galloping horses, auspicious clouds, lanterns, and labels in both Chinese and Russian reading "Moscow Spring Festival" and "Moscow Chinese New Year." The train will operate on Line 3 until March 28th. This creative project allows more Russians to encounter Chinese culture during their daily commute, becoming a bright spot for cultural exchange. Australia's SBS News reported on the 23rd that Spring Festival celebrations in major cities like New York, San Francisco, and London have become winter highlights, welcomed by locals and tourists alike. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the nationwide celebrations as a joyful expression of Australia's multiculturalism, wishing local communities health, family happiness, and prosperity.
"A quiet tech revolution is silently underway." The humanoid robots that gained popularity during the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala continued to attract international media attention. CNBC reported, "Who's laughing now? Within a year, China's humanoid robots went from awkward viral videos to performing Kung Fu flips." Experts suggested that the high dexterity shown in performing aerial flips and handling weapons indicates significant economic potential for tasks requiring fine tool manipulation and precise movements in labor-intensive jobs. Some analysts noted that while Chinese robot companies impressed with dazzling performances, advancements in reasoning能力, longer task durations, and the ability to chain multiple tasks together would be more crucial and hold greater economic value in the coming year.
"During the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, a quiet technological revolution is silently occurring within China's transportation network," wrote Hong Kong's Yazhou Zhoukan on the 23rd. The article stated that China's AI and tech innovations are at the global forefront, effectively utilizing new technologies like AI, big data, and drones to enhance efficiency. From ticket booking and meal ordering for travelers to traffic management and patrols by authorities, the rise of AI agents during the travel rush not only provides new user experiences but also demonstrates China's leading position in AI application. Reports from multiple online travel platforms mentioned that an increasing number of users are utilizing AI for travel planning and during their journeys.
Professor Li Chang'an stated that as China continues to advance its "AI+" strategy, the application of AI in tourism is becoming increasingly widespread. Leveraging the powerful information processing capabilities of large language models, AI can quickly provide咨询服务 and create detailed itineraries for tourists, making it increasingly popular. It is foreseeable that AI will play an increasingly important role in holiday travel and the entire tourism industry in the future.