Spring Festival Spending Up Nearly 50%

By Ned Kelly, February 19, 2024

Some very positive news on the Chinese travel sector's post COVID road to recovery – this year's Spring Festival saw 474 million domestic tourist trips, up 34.3% since 2023, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

If that wasn't good news enough, those tourists spent a whopping RMB632.7 billion living their best lives over the eight day holiday, a 47.3% year-on-year increase.

Shanghai alone recorded 16.8 million visitors over the break, up 50% from last year, with the average occupancy rate of starred hotels in the city hitting 53%, a 15% increase from 2023.

As for cross-border travel, the Chinese mainland saw 3.6 million outbound tourists, while 3.23 million people visited the country.

Many of those international travelers took advantage of the new mutual visa exemption policies, further accelerating the recovery of the tourist market.

Life wasn't all a beach over the break though – the surge in travelers to Hainan saw the tropical island's airports and seaports operating beyond capacity, with thousands left stranded.

China's Civil Aviation Administration has been forced to approve additional flights to meet demand, after ticket prices soared to a staggering RMB20,000.

Visa-Free Travel to China

As China continues to expand its list of countries eligible for visa-free entry, many That's readers planning trips to the PRC have raised numerous queries regarding this policy.

In response to these questions, the Chinese National Immigration Administration has provided official clarifications on various aspects.

Click the link below for some common questions and their respective official answers.

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