China rang in 2024 with a record-breaking travel frenzy , as over 135 million domestic trips were logged during the three-day New Year holiday—a 155.3% jump from 2023 and even 9.4% higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels, per the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Domestic tourism revenue also soared to 79.73 billion yuan ($11.2B), up 200.7% year-on-year, signaling a robust recovery
for the world's second-largest economy.
Winter wonderlands stole the spotlight
: Northern and northeastern regions like Heilongjiang and Jilin saw massive crowds flocking to ice festivals, ski resorts, and snow-themed parks. Think towering ice castles, neon-lit sledding tracks, and hotpot feasts in subzero temps—social media feeds were flooded with frosty selfies and viral reels
.
With travel numbers officially surpassing 2019 benchmarks, experts say the surge reflects growing consumer confidence and China’s push to boost winter tourism. As one Beijing-based traveler put it: 'After years of lockdowns, we’re all craving adventure—even if it means freezing for the ‘gram!'
Reference(s):
cgtn.com