TONGCHENGTRAVEL(00780): "During the Spring Festival of 2026, many places in China will see a surge in tourism with a strong traditional New Year flavor. Guangdong, Fujian, Sichuan, and other places have unique New Year customs."

On January 27, TONGCHENGTRAVEL (00780) released the "2026 Spring Festival Travel Trends Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The report shows that the "longest Spring Festival holiday in history" combined with the trend of "taking 5 days off and having 15 days off" is actively boosting the activity of the new spring cultural and tourism market. On the TONGCHENGTRAVEL platform, following the trend of "price increase with quantity" during New Year's Day, the popularity of booking major products such as Spring Festival flights, hotel accommodations, and group tours has continued to rise over the past month. The Spring Festival is not only an important moment for family reunion but also another "super long golden week" besides the National Day holiday. The report shows that under the influence of the longer holiday period, the proportion of people traveling during the 2026 Spring Festival is expected to further increase, gradually catching up with the large number of people returning home. With a combination of diverse demands such as leisure vacations, visiting relatives and friends, and family reunions, the characteristics of "segmented celebration" and "compound Spring Festival" will become more distinct. Reflected in the travel trends, apart from the peak traffic at the beginning and end of the holiday, there will also be multiple peaks in travel during the festival. Among them, the period from the second to the third day of the lunar new year is the peak period for users to switch modes and embark on new journeys. Many cultural and tourism destinations have started to attract visitors with the "flavor of the year". Which place has the most unique New Year customs? In line with the mainstream trend of "seeking the flavor of the year", many cultural and tourism destinations in Guangdong, Fujian, Sichuan, and other places have started to attract visitors with the "flavor of the year". Data from TONGCHENGTRAVEL shows that Guangdong Province is focusing on local customs, launching the "2026 Celebrate the New Year in Guangdong" series of cultural and tourism theme activities. As of January 27, the hotel booking popularity for the Chinese New Year in Guangdong Province has increased by 169% compared to the same period last year. The provincial capital, Guangzhou, has attracted a large number of visitors with activities such as the Spring Flower Market and Fireworks Show, ranking in the top 5 in terms of hotel booking popularity for Chinese New Year flights nationwide. At the same time, Qingyuan City in Guangdong Province has shown remarkable performance. As of January 27, the hotel booking popularity for the Chinese New Year in Qingyuan City has increased by 342% compared to the same period last year, ranking sixth among cities nationwide. The Chaoshan region in Guangdong has also performed well, with hotel booking popularity in Jieyang City and Shantou City increasing by 337% and 212% respectively. Sichuan Province is focusing on the Zunyi Lantern Festival as its main event, combined with the Sanxingdui New Year Grand Ceremony, Emeishan Ice and Snow Hot Springs Season, and other new cultural and tourism activities, becoming a popular destination for users seeking the flavor of the year. TONGCHENGTRAVEL data shows that Chengdu ranks fourth among the top 10 popular domestic flight destinations during the Spring Festival. Several hotels near the Huachuang Lantern World in Zigong have shown tight room availability, with prices for the Chinese New Year period more than doubling compared to regular days. The Emeishan and Sanxingdui Museum, two well-known attractions, have also entered the top 20 list of popular tourist spots during the Spring Festival. In recent times, the "year of the pig fever" has further increased the popularity of cultural and tourism visits. Taking Chongqing as an example, as of January 27, the hotel booking popularity for the Chinese New Year in Chongqing has increased by 158% compared to the same period last year, ranking among the top 10 cities for hotel bookings nationwide, second only to Beijing, Shanghai, and Sanya. As the "Capital of the World's Hot Springs," during the Spring Festival period, Chongqing's famous hot spring destinations such as Ronghuicheng and Tongjing hot springs have seen a continuous rise in search and booking popularity. Not only are there special visits to experience New Year customs, but cultural heritage tours and cultural tourism are also particularly popular during the Chinese New Year festivities. TONGCHENGTRAVEL data shows that in the top 10 popular domestic hotel booking cities during the Chinese New Year, first-tier and new first-tier cities dominate the list, but the "National Historical and Cultural City" Fuzhou has also secured a place, ranking 10th, making a good start for Fuzhou's cultural and tourism industry. As a "World Heritage City," Quanzhou continues to attract a high level of interest, with flight and hotel bookings from Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Wuhan, and other cities to Quanzhou continuing to rise, with some economy class flight tickets increasing to full price. Highlights of tourism to avoid the cold in the south, enthusiasm for ice and snow tourism in the north During the Spring Festival holiday, Hainan Island, with its blue sea, blue sky, and warm climate, is always a popular destination. The report shows that with the first Spring Festival after the island's closure, tourism in Hainan Province has seen a significant increase. As of January 27, the booking popularity for flights, hotels, homestays, and scenic area tickets during the Spring Festival in Hainan has surpassed the same period in 2025, showing a trend of longer stays, higher quality of consumption, and a more balanced customer structure. TONGCHENGTRAVEL data shows that in the top 10 popular domestic flight destinations during the Spring Festival, both Haikou and Sanya have made the list. As of January 27, the overall booking popularity for hotels in Hainan Province during the Spring Festival has increased by 191% compared to the same period last year, ranking among the top provinces in terms of growth rate. Among them, the booking popularity for hotels during the Spring Festival in Haikou, Sanya, and Lingao Li Autonomous County has increased by over 227%, 167%, and 169% respectively. Looking closer, the proportion of bookings for high-quality hotels in Haikou and Sanya continues to rise, exceeding the national average level. Driven by strong demand for duty-free shopping, the proportion of users staying for 4 to 6 days has increased compared to previous years. In terms of the stay, the main target group remains the post-80s parents with some economic foundation, although their proportion has decreased by 8 percentage points. In contrast, the post-00s and post-95s younger people and the post-75s new silver-haired generation have become more active, with the combined proportion of these two groups increasing by over 10 percentage points. Similarly, Yunnan Province, known as a winter destination, is showing a trend of becoming a popular destination. TONGCHENGTRAVEL data shows that Kunming ranks 7th in the top 10 popular domestic flight destinations during the Spring Festival, rising by 3 places compared to the same period last year. As of January 27, Xishuangbanna, Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang have seen double or even triple increases in hotel booking popularity during the Spring Festival compared to last year. In terms of scenic areas, the Yulong Snow Mountain in Lijiang is particularly popular, ranking among the top 15 national hot spots during the Spring Festival. Yunnan Tourism market is not only popular in major cities, this year during the Spring Festival, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, and other hidden gem small cities have been noticed by more users. The report shows that as of January 27, the booking popularity for hotels during the Spring Festival in Dehong has increased by over 154% compared to the same period last year, and the 5-day-depth customization of Shangri-La in Diqing has continued to sell well. In line with the trend of traveling to avoid the cold in the south, there is still a large flow of people heading north to enjoy the ice and snow during the Spring Festival. The forecast report shows that Haerbin ranks 6th among the top 10 popular domestic flight destinations during the Spring Festival, with the top three sources of travelers being Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. The Harbin Ice and Snow World is also among the top 10 national hot spots during the Spring Festival. In addition, ski resort bookings in Jilin, Liaoning, Xinjiang, and other places have been on the rise. According to Wanda Hotel and Resort data, as of January 21, Changbai Mountain Tourism Wanda International Resort has seen a 14% increase in holiday bookings compared to last year, while the number of visitors to the ski resort has increased by 8.5%; Wanfeng Tonghua Ski Resort has seen a 16% increase in holiday bookings, with a 19% increase in the number of visitors to the ski resort. The report shows that ski resorts like Shenyang Northeast Asia Ski Resort, Urumqi Baiyun Ski Resort, and Altay General Mountain Ski Resort have also seen high booking popularity before the Spring Festival, causing surrounding hotels to become scarce, with prices rising by over 80% compared to regular days. Early booking of hometown hotels by returning travelers, "intra-provincial" tourism becoming popular In previous Spring Festivals, returning home for family reunions has always been the main force of travel. However, in the context of the upgrading of consumer concepts and the quality of consumption, staying in a hotel instead of at home during the Spring Festival has become a popular trend. The report shows that at present, approximately 20% of the cities with the highest growth rates in hotel booking popularity during the Spring Festival among the top 100 cities are under the jurisdiction of major provinces with a large population of migrant workers such as Henan, Anhui, Sichuan, and Jiangxi. As of January 27, Ganzhou, Xinyang, Nanchong, Anqing, and other cities have seen a significant increase in hotel booking popularity during the Spring Festival compared to the same period last year, with growth rates of 252%, 169%, 278%, and 175%, respectively. As travel has become one of the common lifestyles of ordinary people, the desire of the returning travelers to go out has also increased. In order not to miss out on visiting relatives and friends, they tend to prefer "intra-provincial" local tourism, such as traveling from a county to a city, from a prefecture-level city to a provincial capital, or to a tourist city within the province. The report shows that this year during the Spring Festival, hotels, homestays, and scenic area tickets in Kaifeng, Luoyang, Huangshan, Xuancheng, and Shangrao have become popular, with nearly 40% of visitors coming from within the province. Popular scenic spots that have seen rapid growth in popularity include Wanshishan Wuxia City in Kaifeng, Qingming Shanghe Garden in Kaifeng, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Lingshan Scenic Area in Shangrao, and Huangshan Scenic Area. It is worth mentioning that in recent years, local theme parks have gradually expanded to lower-tier markets, becoming a good destination for returning travelers to bring their children to play during the Spring Festival. TONGCHENGTRAVEL data shows that the booking popularity for family theme parks such as Zhengzhou Fantawild World, Changzhou Zhonghua Dinosaur Park, and Wuhu Fantawild Dream Kingdom during the Spring Festival continues to rise. At the same time, the phenomenon of the "reverse Chinese New Year trend" during the Spring Festival has attracted attention, with some young people who have settled in first-tier cities or are the only child choosing to bring their parents from their hometowns to big cities to reunite for the New Year's holiday. The report shows that on the eve of the Spring Festival, the booking popularity for "reverse" flights from small and medium-sized airports to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen has significantly increased, with popular routes including Yulin-Shanghai, Hengyang-Beijing, Yibin-Shenzhen, Yancheng-Guangzhou, and Changzhi-Shanghai. The trend of traveling abroad is gradually getting stronger, with many cities in the central and western regions making it to the list of popular source cities With the combination of the "longest Spring Festival holiday in history" and the trend of "taking 5 days off and having 15 days off," the demand for outbound travel during the Spring Festival this year has been more vigorous than in previous years. The report shows that Southeast Asia, with moderate flight distances, a strong Chinese New Year atmosphere, and convenient visa policies, remains the top choice for overseas Chinese New Year celebrations. As of now, Southeast Asia occupies half of the top 10 popular overseas destinations during the Spring Festival, including Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bali. Under the catalysis of the long Spring Festival holiday, the footsteps of users traveling abroad are getting farther and farther, driving the popularity of long-distance outbound travel this Spring Festival. First, with countries like Russia and Turkey offering visa-free entry, as of January 27, the booking popularity for products such as flights and hotels to destinations like Russia and Turkey during the Chinese New Year has increased by over 113% and 248%, respectively compared to the same period last year; a batch of Middle Eastern tourist destinations are also increasingly popular with users, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and other Middle Eastern countries seeing a rapid growth in popularity during the Chinese New Year holiday. Classic European destinations are the first choice for those taking advantage of the "5 days off and 15 days off" trend, with France, Italy, Spain, and the UK among the top destinations for long-haul outbound travel during the Spring Festival. Against the backdrop of the upgrading of mass travel consumption, this Spring Festival holiday, users from non-first-tier cities, especially those in central and western China, have shown high enthusiasm for outbound travel. The report shows that among the top 15 outbound destinations during the Spring Festival, cities like Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Urumqi, Taiyuan, and Changsha have made it to the list, accounting for about 40% of the total. Coastal cities in the eastern region are still the main force for outbound travel, with Hangzhou performing particularly well, surpassing Guangzhou in outbound travel popularity to become the fourth largest outbound travel source city after Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.