China sees travel surge during Qingming Festival as the figures of domestic trips were released recently.
China experienced significant travel activity during the three-day Qingming Festival, which ended on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 126 million passenger trips were made across the country, marking a 6.3 percent increase compared to last year. The total expenditure on domestic travel also rose by 6.7 percent, reaching 57.549 billion yuan (about $7.9 billion).
Road travel reached 730 million passenger trips, with over 90 percent of them being self-driving. Data from the Chinese ride-hailing platform DiDi Chuxing indicated a 14 percent year-on-year increase in taxi demand during the holiday. During peak periods, demand even surpassed 110,000 orders per minute.
Border inspection agencies reported 6.21 million cross-border trips, averaging 2.07 million trips per day, a 19.7 percent increase from the previous year. Foreigners accounted for 697,000 of these trips, marking a 39.5 percent rise compared to 2024.
Short trips and local tours were popular choices, with online platforms reporting a 136 percent increase in orders for nearby tours. Over 70 percent of tourists traveled for less than three days, and 44 percent opted for car travel. New activities such as flower appreciation, outdoor sports, and outings became key drivers of tourism, boosting the “spring economy.”
The popularity of flower appreciation led to the growth of urban leisure and rural tourism. Data showed a 2.2-fold increase in searches related to “flower viewing” compared to last year. For instance, Sichuan Province in southwest China introduced helicopter tours for a unique flower-viewing experience.
A cherry blossom festival in Shanghai became a major attraction, with visitors enjoying nighttime cherry blossom viewing. The event combined traditional Chinese cultural activities and displays of intangible cultural heritage, making it a must-see destination for tourists.
Due to the sunny weather, outdoor camping sites also attracted many visitors, fueling the “camping fever.” In Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, tourists enjoyed activities such as meditation, boat rowing, and movie watching at a local camping base.
Camping’s popularity also boosted the production and sales of outdoor leisure products. Orders for these products increased by 20 to 30 percent, with deliveries scheduled through May, according to a leisure product company in Zhejiang.
According to Shen Jiani, a senior researcher at the Ctrip Research Institute, new consumption trends are not only reviving traditional culture but also breaking boundaries, injecting fresh energy into the cultural and tourism market.
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