China’s 2025 Spring Festival holiday wraps up on a high note, setting new record of 501 million domestic passenger trips

Passengers are seen at the waiting hall of Wuhan Railway Station in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 20, 2025. As this year's Spring Festival travel rush began on Jan. 14, China Railway Wuhan Bureau Group Co., Ltd. has scheduled to add 47 overnight high-speed trains daily to major cities from Jan. 20 to 27, in an effort to better cater for passengers. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

China's 8-day Spring Festival holiday wrapped up on a high note, with domestic passenger trips totaling 501 million, a 5.9 percent year-on-year increase, data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism revealed on Wednesday.

During the holiday, domestic travel spending reached 677 billion yuan ($92.6 billion), up 7 percent year-on-year, according to the ministry's data.

The festive atmosphere surrounding China's first traditional New Year recognized on UNEXICO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list prompted local governments to introduce many cultural activities, attracting large crowds and driving higher expenditures during the holiday. Many people explored the country's scenic landscapes and intangible cultural heritage and folk traditions.

Northwest China's Gansu Province recorded 2.34 million passenger trips on Monday, according to the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, over the first seven days of the Spring Festival holiday, the province hosted 15.95 million visitors. Many scenic spots introduced events like traditional performances and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, boosting local tourism, according to the CMG.

During the first seven days of the holiday, East China's Jiangsu Province saw A-level tourist attractions, cultural hubs, and museums receive a total of 40.18 million visitors.

In the first six days alone, Jiangsu's out-of-town cultural and tourism spending via Chinese financial services provider UnionPay reached 12.63 billion yuan, the report said.

The popularity of "intangible cultural heritage tourism," including visits to heritage sites and immersive tours, rose by 40 percent year-on-year, Chinese travel platform Fliggy said.

The surge in tourism underscored the critical role of China's transportation infrastructure. China's vast and efficient transportation network has provided solid support for travel and consumption during the long holiday.

A total of 145,000 flights were operated nationwide during the holiday, with an average of 18,083 flights per day, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

With the joint efforts of various departments, China's 2025 Spring Festival cultural and tourism activities not only significantly boosted domestic tourism but also drew an increasing number of foreign visitors to partake in the celebrations.

The number of transactions made by foreign tourists during the Spring Festival holiday increased by 134 percent year-on-year, WeChat Pay data showed. What's interesting, foreign card transactions at Chagee, a Chinese-style national-style tea drink brand, saw a staggering 359 percent year-on-year growth.

Data from the travel platform Trip.com revealed that inbound tourist orders during the Spring Festival season jumped by 203 percent year-on-year.