Telecom big data forecasts a double-digit increase in travel volume during the Qingming Festival, driven by a surge in short-distance self-driving trips and popular flower-viewing outings over the long weekend.
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is traditionally a time for families to honor the deceased. It also marks a peak season for spring outings.
This year, the holiday runs from April 4 to 6, coinciding with favorable weather, blossoming flowers, and vibrant greenery that are expected to draw large numbers of travelers.
According to China Mobile's Wutong Big Data analysis, short-distance travel is expected to see explosive growth during the three-day break, with a 12 percent increase in holidaymakers compared to last year.
Cities from north to south -- including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou -- are leading the short-distance travel market, forming a "holiday economic zone" within a 200-kilometer radius. The "micro-vacation" model, centered around first-tier cities, has emerged as a new driver of consumption.
Using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered crowd flow prediction models, China Mobile's platform has identified the most popular flower-viewing routes to nearby cities -- including Shanghai to Wuxi, Jiaxing to Hangzhou, and Foshan to Guangzhou.
The data also highlights a growing demand for cultural and experiential tourism, adding a new dimension to traditional Qingming holiday travel trends.
"This year, flower-viewing tours during the Qingming Festival is expected to increase by 33 percent compared to last year, signaling vibrant growth in spring travel. Additionally, traditional Chinese-style photo tours and tea-picking excursions have emerged as new trends this year," said Zhang Fan, deputy general manager of the Big Data Business Group at the China Mobile Information Technology Center.
Telecom data forecasts double-digit surge in Qingming Festival travel
China's Qingming Festival holiday has turned flower viewing into a showcase of cultural heritage, drawing tourists and boosting local economies.
From references to "The Book of Songs", a treasured Confucian classic and China's oldest poetry collection, to longstanding flower festivals, organizers are promoting flower viewing as cultural tourism, weaving poetry and tradition into spring outings.
Hebi City in central China's Henan Province is drawing crowds with magnolias, tulips and crabapples, alongside 87 cherry blossom varieties. The blooms have become a major Qingming Festival attraction, prompting local authorities to pair tourism with cultural heritage.
As one of the birthplaces of The Book of Songs, Hebi has launched a campaign offering free entry to scenic spots for visitors who recite verses from the ancient classic. The initiative links flower viewing with a text long regarded as a cornerstone of Chinese literature.
In Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, a park spanning 240 hectares, roughly the size of 330 football fields, is covered in blossoms, making it one of the largest spring displays in the region. The park uses smart drip irrigation to keep flowers hydrated and extend their peak season.
Originating in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the Huazhao (Flower Deities) Festival in Xinzhou District of Wuhan boasts more than 800 years of history. Listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2011, it remains the largest folk celebration in eastern Hubei, drawing thousands of visitors each spring. A parade featuring 12 flower deities winds through the streets, anchoring the festival as both a cultural showcase and a tourism draw.
"The plum blossom represents noble character, the peach blossom radiant beauty. We hope more people will come to discover the Huazhao Festival," said Qinghuan, a performer portraying the Osmanthus Deity.
Outside the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan City, apricot trees are in full bloom. Their pale pink petals flutter in the breeze, lining the museum's corridors and echoing the deep history within. Visitors pause to photograph the unique blend of ancient architecture and fleeting spring beauty.
During the Qingming Festival holiday, the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers turned into a "spring palette." A nearly 2,000-square-meter sea of flowers burst into color. Against this floral backdrop, traditional experiences such as archery, tea whisking and movable-type printing drew crowds seeking a holiday filled with blossoms and cultural charm.
The garden features over 40 varieties of alpine and deciduous rhododendrons in shades of purple, pink and white, layered like clouds of silk. Along the flower-lined paths, colorful benches and ribbons create picture-perfect spots. Visitors wander, stop to admire, or raise their phones to capture a moment of spring romance.
"We hope these vibrant, contrasting floral colors bring a little healing and joy to people's lives, a space to relax and find peace amid the spring bloom," said Shi Wenfang, director of the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers. Beyond flower viewing, the garden is hosting its annual Huazhao Festival during the holiday. Now in its fifth year, the event has attracted nearly 300,000 visitors in total. The festivities run through April 6.
Falling on April 5 this year, the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival for honoring the deceased and paying tributes to ancestors. The three-day holiday from Saturday to Monday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens to enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing in pleasant springtime temperatures.
Compiled between the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period (1100 B.C. - 476 B.C.), "The Book of Songs" contains at least 305 poems and is recognized as a Confucian classic.
Flower viewing draws holiday crowds across China during Qingming Festival
