As China has adjusted its COVID-19 measures and policy, the cultural and tourism sectors have gotten back on their feet. Over 300 million people travelled domestically during the weeklong Spring Festival holiday, generating more than 375.8 billion yuan ($55 billion) in revenue, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Of all the tourist attractions listed among the A or above rating categories in China, 73.5% are now open to visitors, with a significant number available free of charge. In east China's Shandong Province, the government has allocated 210 million yuan ($31 million) for discount vouchers and other preferential tickets in these industries.

A variety of Spring Festival-themed activities were held across China to mark the occasion, with performances, exhibitions, lantern fairs and village galas bringing more festive joy. The seven-day holiday saw over 9,400 commercial performances staged nationwide, registering a 40.92% year-on-year growth. Meanwhile, over 10,000 activities tied to China's intangible cultural heritage were held across the country.

Another highlight for these two sectors was the bounty of nocturnal entertainment. Data show that 243 national-level cultural and tourist attractions which opened at night saw the cumulative number of visitors surpassing 52 million during the holiday. In addition, night tours of the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing were also available.

This year's Spring Festival is the first public holiday since China downgraded its management of COVID-19 to Category B from the most stringent level, Category A. The travel rush also helped to revive the economy, with official data showing that more than 225 million trips were made over the seven-day period.