New twists on old traditions: Dragon Boat Festival fuels China's holiday spending surge

With 119 million domestic trips recorded and total domestic tourism spending reaching 42.7 billion yuan, the recently concluded three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday has proven to be more than just a celebration of traditional Chinese culture – it has become a dynamic force boosting China's tourism and consumption sectors.

 Meanwhile, data from the National Immigration Administration showed that 5.9 million cross-border movements were processed during the holiday period.

From drums to zongzi: A festival reimagined

In Beijing's Tongzhou District, the 2025 Grand Canal Dragon Boat Carnival brought the festive spirit to life. Thirty-two teams from Beijing, Hebei and Guangdong raced through the canal's waters in a thrilling opening day of dragon boat competition. With synchronized paddling and rhythmic drumbeats, boats sliced through the water to cheering crowds lining the banks.

Adding excitement to the event, the Lingnan team from southern China's Guangdong Province performed jaw-dropping dragon boat drifting skills, including sharp-angle turns and 360-degree spins that left audiences on both shores roaring with applause. The carnival also featured a lineup of unique contests, from dragon boat tug-of-war to paddle board races and arm-wrestling championships.

Online, people couldn't resist poking fun at the regional differences in Dragon Boat Festival traditions. In the north, dragon boat races often end with crew members falling into the water, while in the south, races are fast-paced and precisely synchronized. Jokes circulated that northern races are more about "keeping Qu Yuan company," while southern ones are full-blown rescue missions.

According to legend, Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and official from the Warring States period (475-221 BC), drowned himself after the fall of his capital. People raced in boats to recover his body and threw zongzi (sticky rice parcels) into the river to keep fish away.

This year, zongzi got a flavorful upgrade. In Chengdu's Jinniu District, vendors lined Maan East Road with not only classic pork and egg yolk varieties, but also quirky new flavors like chocolate and pineapple. One giant zongzi stuffed with slabs of pork belly and seven salted duck eggs, each weighing up to 1.5 kilograms, became a favorite. A vendor told China Media Group that it was a family-size zongzi, and sharing it brings people together.

Some zongzi businesses are taking the festival global. A zongzi company from east China's Zhejiang Province partnered with Chinese students at Oxford University to host a "Dragon Boat Culture Day," live-streaming dumpling-making tutorials and exploring cultural traditions.

"We want to show the craftsmanship behind zongzi, traceable ingredients, and the story behind the festival," said Shen Qian, a manager at the company. He told CMG that this year, the company's zongzi were exported to supermarkets and e-commerce platforms in Cambodia, Singapore, South Korea and even Canada, and proved especially popular in South Korea.

Tourism gets a cultural makeover

The tourism sector saw a major boost during the holiday. According to a report by Fliggy, one of China's online travel platforms, interest in traditional experiences like dragon boat races and zongzi workshops jumped 105 percent compared to last year. 

The overlap with Children's Day added to the momentum, with parent-child travel demand rising nearly 20 percent. Bookings for theme park tickets surged over 100 percent, while hotel packages and camping trips also saw record increases.

These trends highlight a shift in Chinese travelers' expectations, from sightseeing to immersive experiences. Scenic spots are adapting fast. At Yuntai Mountain in Henan Province, once reliant on ticket sales, tourism has evolved into a cultural experience. Visitors can now learn to make Jiaotai porcelain, a Tang Dynasty-era craft, alongside local masters. The resulting souvenirs like mugs, teacups and car accessories are bringing both awareness and jobs to surrounding villages.

Adventure seekers can also enjoy paddle boarding, cliffside rail climbing and jungle roller coasters, thanks to the site's dramatic terrain. Since 2017, Yuntai Mountain has operated three-day ticket validity to encourage longer stays. And since 2019, local authorities have upgraded nearby homestays into full-service rural resorts, some offering fruit-picking, handicraft workshops and stargazing camps.

According to Li Shipeng, Party secretary of Yuntai Mountain Township, the region's main service hub, Anshang Town, now brings in over 50 million yuan ($6.9 million) annually and supports more than 700 local jobs. The booming homestay industry across the town has pushed the township's per capita rural income above 62,000 yuan a year.

Editor: Yang Xuemin