The Spring Festival in China has kicked off with a spectacular start, marked by the vibrant celebrations of the Lantern Festival on Saturday. This traditional event, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, not only signifies the end of the Spring Festival but also sparks a surge in tourism and consumer spending across the country.
Festivities included dazzling lantern shows, traditional dragon dances, and interactive lantern riddles, drawing massive crowds eager to partake in the cultural festivities. These events are attracting a significant number of tourists as the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon concludes, signaling a strong close to the holiday season.
According to data from the travel portal LY.com, searches related to the \"Lantern Festival\" tripled, with short-distance cross-city tours becoming a popular choice for festival-goers. Specifically, over 60 percent of visitors to the Shanghai Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show are estimated to be travelers from other cities, highlighting the event's wide appeal.
The Spring Festival holiday has proven to be a powerhouse for China's tourism sector, setting multiple records in transportation, online sales, and entertainment. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported a total of 474 million trips made across the country during the eight-day holiday, marking a 34.3 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Moreover, domestic tourism spending reached an impressive 632.69 billion yuan ($87.93 billion), reflecting a 47.3 percent year-on-year growth. These figures underscore the robust economic impact of the Spring Festival, driven by heightened consumer activity and a flourishing tourism industry.
Reference(s):
Booming consumption during Spring Festival off to a roaring start
cgtn.com
