Significant Growth in China’s Transportation and Tourism Sectors During the 2026 New Year Holiday

Beijing, January 5. China’s transportation and tourism sectors have recorded substantial growth during the three-day New Year holiday of 2026. There has been a notable surge in cultural tourism visits, while a clear increase has also been observed in the number of inbound tourists.

According to data released by the Ministry of Transport on Sunday, an average of 198 million inter-regional passenger trips were made daily across China during the three-day New Year holiday that ended on Saturday. This marks a year-on-year increase of 19.62%. The ministry stated that the total number of trips during the entire holiday period reached 595 million.

The tourism sector has been the primary beneficiary of this significant mobility. As announced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Sunday, with the holiday market remaining stable and orderly, 142 million domestic tourism trips were made nationwide. Total domestic travel spending reached 84.789 billion yuan ($12.13 billion).

Analysts say these figures indicate a broad-based, consumption-driven recovery in domestic tourism at the beginning of 2026, supported by richer product offerings and a renewed appetite for travel. It is stated that these robust numbers were created by the extended holiday duration, improved transportation infrastructure, visa-free transit policies, and diversified tourism offerings tailored to different consumer preferences.

This three-day holiday period, which is two days longer than in 2025, has had a major impact on tourism demand. According to industry experts, domestic travelers enjoyed both short-distance getaways and long-haul vacations, while international tourists seized the opportunity to experience Chinese New Year celebrations.

According to data released by the National Immigration Administration on Sunday, 6.615 million cross-border trips were made by Chinese and foreign travelers during the New Year holiday, averaging 220,500 trips per day. This represents a year-on-year increase of 28.6%, with a single-day peak of 2.265 million trips recorded on January 1.

Of these trips, 292,000 were visa-free entries, a 35.8% increase from the same period last year.

Data from the travel platform Qunar showed that during the New Year holiday, travelers using non-Chinese passports booked domestic flights covering destinations in 97 cities nationwide. This indicates international interest in experiencing Chinese New Year celebrations and underscores China’s growing international appeal as a year-end destination.

According to data from the Ctrip platform, inbound ticket bookings increased by 110% year-on-year, while bookings for experiential entertainment products soared more than 30-fold. The interest of international tourists in traveling to China is shifting from sightseeing and checking in to in-depth experiences.

Chengdu’s immigration authorities reported a remarkable 74.8% year-on-year increase in foreign nationals crossing their checkpoints, with over 22,000 international visitors processed between January 1-3. According to a publication by Chengdu Fabu on Saturday, the top three source countries for inbound foreign travelers were Thailand, Malaysia, and Australia.

Deng Yongsheng, general manager of Chengdu Le Tour International Travel Agency, reported hosting approximately 1,000 foreign visitors during the holiday, stating, “Our Southeast Asian tour groups have seen significant growth. The improved transportation links have made flying from Southeast Asia to Chengdu convenient and affordable.”

In November 2025, China strove to enhance its attractiveness as a global tourism hub by expanding its 240-hour visa-free transit program, increasing the total number of ports eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit from 60 to 65.

The country also extended its unilateral visa exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries until December 31, 2026. These changes have played a crucial role in boosting foreign arrivals, making it easier for tourists to access China for longer stays and with greater convenience.

Experts say that China’s efforts to facilitate visas in recent years are responsible for this growth. According to their suggestions, the extended visa exemptions, combined with an improved mobile payment environment and the growing availability of regional tours and cultural experiences, have helped promote this increase.

According to a CCTV News publication on Sunday, diversified cultural and tourism consumption increased during the holiday period, where visitors enjoyed a variety of experiences. Reports from online travel platforms indicated that bookings for domestic scenic spots rose more than fourfold year-on-year, while bookings for inbound, experience-focused leisure products skyrocketed over 30-fold, triggering the first consumption wave of the year.

Distinctive traditional cultural resources, snow views and winter sports, milder climates, and New Year’s Eve trips were all utilized to enrich visitors’ experiences. According to the Culture and Tourism Bureau, short-distance trips to locations near people’s residences or workplaces proved popular during the holiday period.

According to the CCTV News publication, officials stated that travel preferences were centered on short- and mid-distance, local, and nearby trips, with forest wellness, coastal hot springs, rural homestays, and family study tours becoming the most popular themes as cultural-tourism integration deepened.

This year’s three-day New Year holiday is two days longer than that of 2025, leading to nearby trips, extended long-distance travel, and inbound tourism overlapping and pushing overall travel demand to a record high. According to the Qunar platform, hotel bookings at popular destinations during the New Year holiday rose 50% year-on-year, while hotel and homestay reservations made by Qunar users covered over 1,000 county-level regions nationwide.

South China’s Hainan Free Trade Port saw a major surge in holiday shopping during its first New Year holiday as a special customs supervision zone. According to Haikou customs, during the holiday period, Hainan’s offshore duty-free sales reached 712 million yuan, involving 83,500 shoppers and 442,000 purchased items. These figures represent staggering year-on-year increases of 128.9%, 60.6%, and 52.4%, respectively.

Pan Helin, a member of the expert committee of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said, “Longer holidays will provide people with more flexibility for travel and further ignite the public’s enthusiasm for exploring tourist destinations. Meanwhile, strong consumption around the New Year is expected to lay a solid foundation for consumption growth throughout 2026, promoting a continued recovery in the consumer market.”

Expert Wang Peng stated, “If supply capacity and service quality can keep pace with rising visitor expectations, the holiday momentum could help sustain demand until the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year travel peak, which begins in mid-February. The tourism sector’s solid start to 2026 is expected to contribute significantly to regional economic growth and employment throughout the year, with many destinations already planning additional attractions and services to sustain momentum into the peak spring travel season.”