China's New Year holiday consumption market posts strong numbers

China saw upbeat consumption during the New Year holiday. A total of 142 million domestic travel trips were made during the three-day holiday period which ended on Saturday, with total tourism spending reaching nearly 84.8 billion yuan (about $12.1 billion), according to official data.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism noted that winter-themed tours, sun-seeking getaways and short-distance excursions had gained significant traction during this holiday, as consumption vitality remained robust and fluid.

China's railways handled about 48.09 million passenger trips during the holiday, according to data from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. The travel demand peaked on the inaugural day of the holiday, with around 18.56 million passenger trips recorded, the railway operator said on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, the country recorded more than 6.61 million cross-border trips, with the average daily figure surging by 28.6 percent year on year, according to the National Immigration Administration. 

Cross-border trips by foreign visitors from January 1 to 3 grew by 29.8 percent from the 2025 figure to reach 828,000, among whom 292,000 were admitted under the country's visa-free policy, up 35.8 percent year on year. The visa-free entry policies and streamlined departure tax refund services are turning inbound tourists into a new engine driving China's consumption growth. 

Experience-driven consumption surged

Chinese consumers kicked off the new year with increased spending on emotional experiences and activities during the three-day break. 

Social media platforms were buzzing with feeds of people gathering in malls and public squares for countdowns or taking overnight trains and late-night flights to usher in the year on the move. Searches for "New Year countdown travel" jumped 125 percent from a year earlier, according to online travel platform Ctrip, while demand rose sharply for theme park fireworks displays and concerts.

Meituan, one of major online lifestyle platforms, saw a surge in sales for fresh fruits, flowers, single-serving desserts, and wines leading up to the new year. These items were a hit among younger shoppers looking for something fresh and fun to brighten up their celebrations.

New duty-free policy gave a significant boost to Hainan

Duty-free shopping in the southern Chinese resort island province Hainan got off to a strong start over the New Year holiday, with offshore duty-free sales reaching 712 million yuan from January 1 to 3, marking a year-on-year increase of 128.9 percent, according to Haikou Customs on Sunday.

Customs recorded the sale of 442,000 duty-free items during the holiday, up 52.4 percent compared with the same period last year, while the number of shoppers rose 60.6 percent year on year to 83,500, it said.

Major duty-free shops rolled out promotions to spur spending, including discounts and vouchers, and many offered entertainment events and free shuttle buses to attract consumers.

The rapid growth follows a new duty-free policy implemented in November 2025, which expanded the range of eligible goods. Currently, travelers visiting the island can enjoy a duty-free shopping quota of 100,000 yuan per person each year. The province has reported strong offshore duty-free sales over the past few years since raising its annual tax-free shopping quota from 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person on July 1, 2020.

(With input from Xinhua)