Xinhua Headlines: Chinese ring in Year of the Snake with travel, spending boom

* The Spring Festival, China's most important festival, sparked a nationwide travel surge, with more than 2.3 billion passenger trips made nationwide during the eight-day holiday, which concluded on Tuesday.

* According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China saw a record 501 million domestic tourist trips during the just-concluded holiday, up 5.9 percent year on year.

* From Chinese mythology to homegrown animation, this year's Spring Festival film lineup drew massive crowds and posted record-breaking sales.

BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- As China celebrated the arrival of the Year of the Snake, the festive atmosphere was reflected in a surge in travel and consumer spending. With tourism booming, restaurants bustling, and box offices setting new records, the festivities showcased China's economic vitality.

The Spring Festival, China's most important festival, sparked a nationwide travel surge as families reunited and celebrations took place across the country. Official data showed that more than 2.3 billion passenger trips were made nationwide during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday, which concluded on Tuesday.

Official projections estimated over 9 billion passenger trips during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush that officially began on Jan. 14.

The annual migration -- once dominated by homebound travelers -- now sees a growing number of people opting for holiday getaways, filling train stations, highways, and airports in celebration of the Year of the Snake.

TOURISM SOARS ON HERITAGE CHARM

With China's Spring Festival now on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, cultural exploration-centered tours have become increasingly popular.

Online searches for "intangible cultural heritage tourism" jumped 174 percent since the beginning of this year, while folk craft-related searches spiked 321 percent, according to Meituan Travel. On the popular video-sharing platform Douyin, demand for intangible cultural heritage tours led to a 462 percent year-on-year rise in group tour bookings for folk fairs.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China saw a record 501 million domestic tourist trips during the just-concluded holiday, up 5.9 percent year on year. Tourist spending reached a record high of over 677 billion yuan (94.43 billion U.S. dollars) during the period, a 7 percent increase from the previous year.

The cultural allure extended beyond domestic travelers, attracting visitors from around the globe. The latest data from the National Immigration Administration showed about 14.37 million cross-border trips were made during the holiday, up 6.3 percent from last year's Spring Festival holiday. Of these, 958,000 trips were made by foreign nationals, marking a 22.9 percent increase.

According to Chinese online travel service giant Trip.com Group, inbound travel orders during the Spring Festival holiday rose 203 percent year on year, underscoring the growing international appeal of China's cultural and natural landmarks.

Among the top destinations was Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, renowned for its spectacular mountain scenery that inspired scenes in global blockbusters. Malaysian tourist Vincent Koh Swee Sam was among the many international visitors drawn to cultural heritage in Zhangjiajie. Immersing himself in local festivities, Sam joined villagers in writing Spring Festival couplets, pounding glutinous rice cakes, and making tofu.

Sam's hands-on experience with Chinese calligraphy deepened his appreciation for the art. "I used to know China only through textbooks and maps," he said. "But now that I have stepped into it myself, it feels so good."

DINING BOOM FEEDS FESTIVE SPIRIT

No Spring Festival is complete without a grand feast, and this year, more families chose to dine out for ease and variety, driving a surge in restaurant bookings.

In Shanghai's bustling city center, all 91 tables at the renowned Cantonese restaurant Xinya were packed with diners on Chinese New Year's Eve, according to executive chef Huang Renkang.

According to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), the revenues of key restaurants tracked by the ministry climbed 5.1 percent year on year in the first four days of the holiday.

Online platforms saw a similar rise. Meituan reported a 305 percent year-on-year increase in online bookings for Chinese New Year's Eve dinners, while high-end restaurants featuring Chinese culinary experiences saw significant growth.

Notably, orders for "intangible cultural heritage" meal packages searched on Meituan soared over 12 times year on year since the beginning of this year.

BOX OFFICE HITS RECORD HIGH

From Chinese mythology to homegrown animation, this year's Spring Festival film lineup drew massive crowds and posted record-breaking sales.

China's box office sales jumped to an all-time high of 9.51 billion yuan over the holiday period, while attendance also set a new record, with 187 million moviegoers packing theaters.

Leading the charge was the animated feature "Ne Zha 2," which grossed around 4.84 billion yuan.

"The moviegoers' enthusiasm indicates vibrant consumption during the holiday as well as the consumers' confidence in domestic productions," said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

Experts attributed the success to strong audience anticipation, beloved characters and stories, and high-quality storytelling.

"The strong performance of these films lays a solid foundation for the steady growth of China's film market in 2025," noted Chen Jin, a data analyst from box office tracker Beacon.

POLICY BOOST SPARKS SHOPPING SPREE

Festive cheer and consumer enthusiasm energized the market even before the holiday began. With the country's trade-in program driving demand, shoppers eagerly seized the opportunity to upgrade cars, home appliances, and digital devices, ushering in a vibrant holiday shopping season.

The MOC reported receiving subsidy applications for 10.79 million electronic devices over a four-day period starting Jan. 20. This follows the inclusion of mobile phones, tablets, and smartwatches in the trade-in subsidy program, marking a significant expansion of the initiative launched in March last year.

Moreover, according to the ministry, automobile trade-ins reached 34,000 while home appliance trade-ins reached 1.04 million units as of Jan. 23.

Building on this momentum, online retail sales grew by 5.8 percent during the eight-day holiday, while sales of home appliances and communication equipment at key retailers jumped by over 10 percent.

"Spring Festival offers a glimpse into the year's economic trends," said Chen Lifen, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council.

In this holiday season, a blend of cultural experiences and new consumption scenarios has helped reinforce the economic recovery momentum, injecting confidence into the economy and setting a strong foundation for the year ahead, Chen noted.

(Video reporters: Shen Yijin, Zhang Yujie, Ding Chunyu and Zhang Ge; Video editors: Zhang Yueyuan, Wei Yin and Zhou Yang)  ■