BEIJING: China saw a significant surge in inbound tourism during this year’s Spring Festival holiday, as the nation celebrated its first Spring Festival after the festival was added to Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Border inspection authorities across the country recorded more than 14.36 million cross-border trips during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, which ended on Tuesday, marking a 6.3% increase from the previous year, according to statistics released on Wednesday by the National Immigration Administration.
A total of 958,000 trips were made by foreigners, up 22.9% year-on-year (y-o-y).
Data from travel platforms also reflected this trend, with inbound tourism bookings on Trip.com growing 203% y-o-y during the holiday, while domestic flight bookings on Qunar using non-Chinese passports rose by 70%.
Xi’an in Shaanxi province, a city steeped in history, emerged as a popular destination for international tourists.
The city’s entry points handled 47,000 inbound and outbound trips during the holiday, with daily passenger traffic increasing 84%, according to data from the provincial border inspection station.
The Heslops, a couple from Britain who had previously experienced Chinese New Year celebrations in the London’s Chinatown, 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 and hospitality.
They said they learned to say Xin Nian Kuai Le (Happy New Year) and She Nian Da Ji (Good Luck in the Year of the Snake).
In Henan province, cities including Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and Luoyang attracted large numbers of international visitors with 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% y-o-y, with top sources being China’s Hong Kong and Taiwan, the United States, Singapore and Thailand.
Luoyang saw a 100% increase in inbound tourism orders while Kaifeng saw a 92% increase.
Roberto Andrade Figueroa, a scholar from Harvard Kennedy School, observed the universal appeal of the festival.
Spring Festival, celebrated in Chinese communities across the world, embodies a universal human experience of spending time with family and relishing a fresh start, he said.
An increasing number of foreign visitors chose to experience the festive atmosphere in Chinese homestays.
During the holiday, homestay booking platform Tujia saw a 3.7-fold increase in bookings by non-Chinese passport holders, with 51 towns hosting foreigners for the first time. — China Daily/ANN
