As the world celebrated the New Year, 🌟 global tourism got a mega boost! The holiday season brought a tidal wave of travelers, and China was right at the heart of it. From ancient wonders to futuristic skylines, China attracted explorers eager to dive into its rich culture and breathtaking landscapes. And guess what? The 240-hour visa-free transit policy made it even easier for adventurers to join the fun! 🎒🗺️
But it wasn't just international visitors filling up the travel charts. Chinese people were packing their bags and hitting the road (and skies) too! 🛫 Outbound travel from China skyrocketed, fueling the tourism industry and giving the economy a serious high-five. 🙌
Chinese Travelers on the Move 🚶♂️🚶♀️
According to the National Immigration Administration, during the 2025 New Year's holiday, China's border inspection agencies handled a whopping 1.803 million trips in and out of the country! That's a 13.7% jump from last year. 🚀 Chinese mainland residents made 869,000 trips (up 11.1%), residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan region made 749,000 trips (up 12.8%), and foreign nationals clocked in 185,000 trips (up 33.6%)! 🌐
Even though New Year's Day is a one-day holiday, many folks turned it into a mini-vacation by tacking on some annual leave or extra days off. 🏖️ According to Fliggy, a popular online travel platform, bookings for fancy hotels in China soared over 40% compared to last year! 🏨✨
Top spots within China included Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Nanjing, Xi'an, and Harbin. For those looking to explore beyond, favorite destinations were Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Australia, Vietnam, France, and Singapore. ✈️🌍
Fliggy also dished that regions like Heilongjiang, Jilin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Hebei became hotspots for \"snow and ice tourism\" ❄️⛷️ during the New Year. Cities like Chengdu, Wuhan, Shaoxing, and Wuxi saw ticket sales for indoor snow and ice attractions skyrocket! Skiing and hot springs were all the rage. Meanwhile, southern gems like Hainan, Guangxi, and Guangdong were the go-to for \"winter escape\" trips. Think surfing, night fishing, and scuba diving! 🏄♂️🌊
Outbound tourism kept up its amazing growth from 2023. Fliggy's data showed that by early January 1, 2025, outbound bookings shot up nearly 70% year over year, and international car rentals spiked over 70% too! 🚗🌐 The hottest car rental spots were the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
