BUSINESS

Snow, Concerts and Shopping Drive China’s New Year Travel

Published: Jan. 5, 2026 5:31 p.m. GMT+8

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Passengers at a railway station in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Jan. 1, 2026. Photo: Yang Bo/China News Service/VCG

China recorded an estimated 590 million cross-regional trips during the three-day New Year holiday, a nearly 20% jump from the previous year, as travelers flocked to snowy northern destinations and the tropical island of Hainan to ring in 2026.

Data from the Ministry of Transport showed the surge covered the period from Jan. 1 to 3. Passenger volume on the nation’s railways soared 53.1% year-on-year, while road and air travel rose 15.5% and 10.5%, respectively.

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China saw 590 million cross-regional trips over the 2026 New Year holiday, up nearly 20% year-on-year.
Rail travel rose 53.1%, road 15.5%, and air 10.5%; winter and island destinations were especially popular.
The “concert economy” boosted tourism, and box office revenue surged 141%, reaching 739 million yuan ($106 million).

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Who’s Who

Didi Global Inc.: Didi Global Inc. is a company that reported a 31% year-on-year increase in ride-hailing demand during the New Year holiday. This surge was attributed to a rise in trips to tourist attractions, dining venues, and major shopping districts, indicating an intensification of urban mobility.

Tongcheng Travel Holdings Ltd.: Tongcheng Travel Holdings Ltd. is an online travel agency. It reported that routes to winter destinations were popular, accounting for about 40% of the top 20 domestic flight itineraries during the New Year holiday. The company also indicated a 76% rise in flight bookings to and from Hainan's three major airports compared to the previous month.

Trip.com Group Ltd.: Trip.com Group Ltd. reported a 110% year-on-year increase in ticket bookings for inbound attractions. The company also indicated that tourism orders surged 2,544% in Zhuji and significantly increased in Nanning and Foshan due to the "concert economy."

Qunar.com Inc.: Qunar.com Inc. is an online travel agency. The company reported a significant increase in self-driving tour bookings in Haikou and Sanya, with nearly a 100% year-on-year rise, indicating a strong interest in road trips to these destinations.

AI generated, for reference only