The 2023 Spring Festival, the first Chinese New Year after the nation's policy adjustment on the pandemic, is approaching. As China optimized COVID-19 management and eased restrictions on travel, people's enthusiasm for travel and returning hometown rises. Figures from some online travel service providers show that, the orders of the travels to Hunan increased by 12% while Hunan people's outbound tourism orders surged for 577% over last year.

"Returning home for reunion" is in the spotlight this Spring Festival. Liang Gaowu, deputy Party chief and head of Sangzhi County government, posted a video to invite Sangzhi people who have migrated elsewhere for work to return to hometown for the festival. This warmhearted suggestion has found an echo in the hearts of many people nationwide.

Online travel portal Ctrip on January 5 released a forecast report on tourism market during the 2023 Spring Festival holiday. The report suggested that, as of January 5, the orders of tourism products in the Spring Festival holiday had shown a 45% surge over last year and the per capita tourism expenditure rose 53%. The orders of the travels to Hunan Province increased by 12% year on year, most of which are from Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Sichuan, and Tianjin.

The eased restrictions on travel resulted in an outbound tourism boom. Figures in the report shows that, as of January 5, the orders of overseas travels during the 7-day Spring Festival holiday skyrocketed 540% and the average expenditure per order rose by 32% compared to last year. Hunan people's Spring Festival outbound tourism orders spiked by 577% year on year. The most popular overseas destinations for them are Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia, and the preferred domestic destinations are Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Haikou, Chengdu, Harbin, Sanya, Xishuangbanna, and Hangzhou.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn