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Tourism
ChinaPolitics

Visitors to China’s tourist spots spike during Lunar New Year as country aims to revive post-Covid travel sector

  • Island province of Hainan, Sichuan’s eco-tourism hotspot Jiuzhaigou and ancient capital city Xian among the attractions reporting boost in visitors
  • An extended public holiday and an economic rebound following the end of pandemic restrictions buoy bookings in the Year of the Dragon

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Tourists take selfies with a lantern in the resort city of Sanya in China’s Hainan province on February 5. Photo: Xinhua
Alyssa Chen
Mainland China’s tourist attractions reported a major spike in visitors during this year’s eight-day Lunar New Year holiday as the country aims to revive its post-pandemic travel sector.
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The tropical island province of Hainan has seen a huge increase in passenger traffic, with overall year-on-year growth of more than 30 per cent during the holiday, according to provincial authorities.

Official statistics revealed that half a million travellers have visited the province’s top-rated tourist attractions – those categorised as AAAAA or AAAA sites under the country’s official rating system – a year-on-year increase of 43 per cent compared to 2023, and up 17 per cent compared to 2019.

Hainan authorities said on Wednesday they were looking for ways to arrange more flights after it was reported that there was a shortage of flights departing the island, forcing travellers to buy expensive business-class tickets that cost around 10,000 yuan (US$1,390).

Airlines recommended travellers avoid departing from the airport in the resort city of Sanya and return home through the nearby cities of Haikou and Boao instead.

Tourist attractions in other parts of the country are also packed with domestic visitors.

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State broadcaster CCTV reported that travel bookings in Shaanxi’s provincial capital Xian, known for its cultural attractions, grew 317 per cent year on year, with tourist site ticket sales up 480 per cent compared to last year.

On Monday, the city was forced to open the door of its historic drum tower, which had been closed for a decade to help with preservation efforts, to divert the influx of tourists.

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