Tongcheng Travel(00780)Spring Festival Review: Guangdong New Year Customs Travel Popularity Leads, Shantou Hotel Bookings Increase by Over 80% Year-on-Year

CITIC Securities Finance APP has learned that the “longest Spring Festival holiday in history” has delivered a impressive travel performance, with peak travel times nationwide at popular scenic spots “sold out,” and highlights in surrounding and long-distance travel. On February 23, Tongcheng Travel (00780) released the “2026 Spring Festival Holiday Travel Consumption Review Report” (hereinafter referred to as the “Report”), based on data from the Tongcheng Travel platform, summarizing new trends and features in travel consumption during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday.

The data shows that traditional cultural customs remain the “main dish” of the Spring Festival travel market, with the pursuit of traditional “New Year flavor” becoming the mainstream of domestic travel during the holiday. Various New Year customs activities held in Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions have become popular holiday cultural tourism consumption hotspots. The tourism heat in Shantou and other areas has led the way, making them “dark horse” destinations for domestic travel during the Spring Festival. During the first Spring Festival holiday after the border reopening, the entire island of Hainan saw record-high tourism heat, with hotel bookings increasing by over 70% year-on-year. Harbin, a popular destination for ice and snow tourism during the holiday, ranked high in popularity, while indoor ski resorts became the first choice for residents in southern regions to experience skiing. During the holiday, “returning home” and “reverse New Year” travel saw dual peaks, with cities like Chongqing and Chengdu experiencing over 100% year-on-year growth in local residents’ bookings for cultural and tourism products. “Celebrating the New Year with AI” has become a new travel trend this Spring Festival, with young people frequently consulting AI about local customs. The extended holiday significantly boosted demand for long-haul outbound travel during the Spring Festival, with hotels in popular Italian destinations like Milan seeing over 200% year-on-year growth in bookings.

Guangdong becomes the top destination for traditional New Year customs tourism, with hotel bookings in Shantou and other areas increasing over 80% year-on-year

During the Spring Festival, traditional “New Year flavor” became the strongest “IP” attracting tourists across regions, with the North-South “New Year flavor” competition creating a lively atmosphere of celebrating the New Year. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that the top ten popular destinations focusing on traditional “New Year flavor” during the holiday are: Shantou, Fuzhou, Beijing, Ganzhou, Suzhou, Jiujiang, Shanghai, Quanzhou, Dehong, and Kaifeng.

Guangdong undoubtedly was the big winner of this year’s “New Year flavor” tourism boom. Hotels in popular Guangdong destinations like Shantou saw booking increases of over 80% year-on-year, ranking among the top nationwide. During the holiday, Guangdong launched the theme “Invite You to Celebrate the New Year in Guangdong,” highlighting intangible cultural heritage customs and trendy experiences, along with a Spring Festival cultural tourism subsidy campaign. The rich traditional New Year customs in Chaoshan, including deity worship festivals, lion dance competitions, and traditional folk activities like Yingge drums, created immersive cultural experiences for visitors.

Fuzhou promoted the theme “Come to Fuzhou, Celebrate the Fuzhou New Year,” launching a Spring Festival cultural tourism month with over 1,800 events, covering themes such as New Year flavor, lantern festivals, intangible cultural heritage, fireworks, ancient dwellings, and red tourism.

Ganzhou, Dehong, and other regions with ethnic minority cultural traditions attracted many tourists with visual experiences and participatory activities, becoming a “cultural feast” for local hospitality during the holiday. During peak periods, bookings for local特色民宿 (specialty homestays) and other accommodations doubled.

Additionally, the first Spring Festival holiday after the border reopening, combined with events like the 18th Wanchun Fair in Haikou, created a festive atmosphere, pushing Hainan’s Spring Festival shopping and leisure tourism to new heights. Hotel bookings across the island increased by over 70% year-on-year, making it the absolute “top stream” for island travel during the holiday.

Strong demand for ice and snow tourism during the Spring Festival, with indoor ski resorts becoming new hotspots for winter travel

Traveling with family to Northeast China for the New Year remains a traditional favorite for experiencing authentic “New Year flavor” through ice and snow activities. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that Harbin, Changbai Mountain, Altay, and Zhangjiakou are popular destinations for winter tourism during the holiday. Key attractions include Harbin Ice and Snow World, Qipan Mountain Ice and Snow World, and Changchun Ice and Snow New World, which are popular spots for family-friendly winter activities, with booking growth leading the trend. As the main stage for the Harbin segment of this year’s Spring Festival Gala, Harbin Ice and Snow World maintained high popularity in the first half of the holiday. Changbai Mountain Wanda International Tourism Resort and Snow Town are also popular choices for family trips and holiday stays. Besides ice and snow sports, historic sites like the Shenyang Imperial Palace are also popular check-in spots.

Compared to long-distance winter travel, more people are choosing indoor ski resorts near their homes during the holiday. Several newly opened large indoor ski resorts have become hot spots for local winter tourism. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that popular indoor ski resorts during the holiday include Nantong Sandi Ice and Snow Ocean Park, Huzhou Taihu Longzhimeng Ice and Snow World, Suzhou Alps Snow World, Shenzhen Window of the World Alps Ice and Snow World, and Changchun Wanda Ski Resort.

“Returning home” and “reverse New Year” travel see dual peaks, with local bookings in major central and western cities exceeding 60%

Many travelers are choosing to stay at local hotels and visit hometown attractions during the holiday, making “returning home” the main force in cultural tourism consumption in many central and western cities. During the holiday, residents generally preferred local and nearby travel, with bookings from local residents in hotels and attractions in multiple cities increasing by over 100% year-on-year. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that attractions and hotels in Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Bijie, Zhengzhou, Taiyuan, Shaoyang, Zhoukou, Fuyang, and Nanchong ranked high in local bookings. In particular, in Bijie, Zhengzhou, and Zhoukou, over 60% of bookings for major attractions came from local residents.

Some travelers visited hometown attractions, while others from hometowns traveled to first-tier cities for reunions. The “reverse New Year” travel contributed significant incremental tourism during the holiday in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Data shows that flight bookings from central and western cities to these major hubs increased by nearly 40% compared to last year during the week before the holiday, with a notable increase in travelers aged over 50.

Seeking traditional “New Year flavor” in county towns, with hotel bookings in Yixian, Yangshuo, and other counties increasing over 400% year-on-year

Small counties are rich in “New Year flavor,” with tourism in many county destinations surging significantly during the holiday. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that hotel and attraction bookings in counties such as Huangshan Yixian, Guilin Yangshuo, Jinzhong Pingyao, Fuzhou Pingtan, Yuxi Chengjiang, and Shangrao Wuyuan rank among the top in county tourism nationwide.

Popular county destinations either feature well-known scenic spots or host rich traditional New Year customs. Huangshan Yixian’s famous ancient villages Hongcun and Xidi hosted traditional activities like fish lantern parades and bench dragon processions, greatly boosting local tourism. Guilin Yangshuo’s popularity is driven by scenic spots like the Li River and vibrant Spring Festival folk activities. Pingyao attracted young tourists and families with its ancient city and local traditional customs. During the holiday, bookings for hotels and homestays in Yixian, Yangshuo, and Pingyao increased by over 400% year-on-year.

Additionally, Fuzhou Pingtan promoted mountain-sea national潮 (trend), cross-strait New Year flavor, and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, combining local customs with popular潮 elements to attract many young visitors. The unique Miao ethnic “New Year flavor” and customs at Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village made Leishan County a popular county destination during the holiday.

“Celebrating the New Year with AI,” with DeepTrip-related questions about local customs accounting for over 50% of hotel and accommodation inquiries

This year’s Spring Festival holiday’s “tech feast” undoubtedly belonged to AI. Asking about itineraries, sightseeing spots, travel tips, and weather, AI has become an indispensable “partner” for holiday travel. Data from DeepTrip, Tongcheng Travel’s travel AI assistant, shows that among questions related to the Spring Festival, about 57.4% concern transportation and ticketing, around 20% relate to sightseeing and activities, and about 12.9% concern local customs and traditions. Notably, questions about local New Year customs significantly outnumber inquiries about hotel stays and other travel topics. The main reason users ask about local customs is to explore regional traditions and activities, and to better understand local customs and culture for smooth holiday travel. Among those asking about customs, most are under 30 years old. For young travelers, AI is not only a travel planning “assistant” but also an essential “New Year customs steward.”

Demand for long-haul outbound travel explodes, with hotel bookings in Milan and other Italian cities increasing over 200% year-on-year

The nine-day Spring Festival holiday greatly stimulated outbound travel demand. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that short- and medium-haul outbound trips remain the mainstay during the holiday, with destinations within a five-hour flight radius such as South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau, and Indonesia ranking high.

Compared to last year, the overall popularity of long-haul destinations during this year’s Spring Festival holiday has increased significantly, with Italy, Spain, Australia, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark leading the list. Overall, European destinations are more popular. Family groups remain the main travelers for long-distance outbound trips during the holiday.

The holiday coincided with the Winter Olympics in Milan, and many families traveled to Milan to watch the Winter Olympics and cheer for Chinese athletes, while also touring historic cities like Rome and Venice—becoming a new choice for many families. The Winter Olympics significantly boosted the popularity of Milan and other Italian cities. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that hotel bookings in Milan, Venice, and other Italian cities during the holiday increased by over 200% year-on-year. Driven by the winter sports atmosphere created by the Olympics, many Chinese skiing enthusiasts chose to visit ski resorts in Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Turkey, and other countries to experience skiing and sightseeing. Popular European travel routes on Tongcheng Travel include Paris+Rome+Milan+Venice+Louvre+Versailles+Nice+Monaco, Germany+Hungary+Switzerland+Austria+Czech Republic+Luxembourg+Liechtenstein, and Paris+Swiss Alps+Rome+Eiffel Tower+Jungfrau+Venice, with many travelers opting for guided tours to save time and effort.