"We've been waiting for over an hour. Judging by the crowd, it might take another hour or two before we get a table." At around 6 p.m. on February 19, the third day of the Chinese New Year, Mr. Yang, a tourist from Huizhou, Guangdong, was sitting with his family in the waiting area of Chef Fei's Restaurant at Changsha IFS. The area was packed with people also waiting. The reporter glanced at Mr. Yang’s phone, which showed 35 tables still ahead.

According to the big data modeling analysis of mobile phone signaling, on the fifth day of the Spring Festival holiday (the third day of the Chinese New Year), the province received 25, 873, 800 tourists that day.

Food is often the "first stop" for tourists traveling in Hunan. During the holiday, traditional time-honored eateries, local specialty dishes, and the first stores of internet-famous brands became hotspots for dining consumption.

"It's just too hard to get a meal in Changsha!" At around 7 p.m. on the third day of the Chinese New Year, Wu Dan, a tourist from Hangzhou, posted on her WeChat Moments. She told the reporter, "Every restaurant in the Wuyi Square area has a line. Almost every place has 50 to 60 tables waiting."

At peak mealtime, the reporter took a quick walk around and found that Wenheyou Restaurant had over 600 tables in line. Restaurants such as Sanchushan Hotpot, Yunshanji Restaurant, and KCOOKING Korean Cuisine were completely surrounded by waiting crowds, while many others had put up signs saying "All numbers for today have been taken".

Meanwhile, the Fire God Palace in Changsha was bustling with activities. Dressed in a red robe and holding a large gold ingot, the "God of Wealth" scattered New Year red envelopes among visitors. On the ancient stage, performances including lion dances and acrobatics were presented in succession, delighting local residents and tourists.

"Visiting the temple fair at the Fire God Palace is a must for every New Year," said Chen Chen, a Changsha resident, who had brought his family to join these festivities. He remarked, "This is exactly the flavor of the New Year from my childhood."

"Buying gold for the New Year is a way to bring good luck." Recently, international gold prices remained high, but the gold market still saw a consumption boom during the Spring Festival holiday.

Gold sales areas were bustling in many shopping centers in Changsha, Hengyang, and other cities. Gold jewelry featuring "horse elements" and auspicious pieces such as gold Ruyi (an auspicious scepter) and gold gourds were particularly popular among consumers. In addition, some novel gold stickers also sold well.

Shopping malls and supermarkets remained the "main battleground" for consumption during the Spring Festival, with crowds everywhere.

Centered around the themes of "Spring Festival, New Year goods, and festive flavor", major commercial enterprises held a variety of activities such as discounts, themed markets, and cultural exhibitions, creating consumption scenes full of New Year's atmosphere.

According to big data statistics from UnionPay Business, on the third day of the Chinese New Year, the province recorded 37, 822, 200 transactions, a year-on-year increase of 12.91%, with total transaction value reaching 4.675 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 30.11%.

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

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn