China's tourism market showed steady growth during the just-concluded Dragon Boat Festival holiday, with 119 million domestic tourist trips recorded nationwide, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Tuesday.
The figure represents a 5.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Total tourism spending reached 42.73 billion yuan (about 5.93 billion U.S. dollars), up 5.9 percent from the previous year, the ministry said.
This year's Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, was celebrated on May 31, and the public holiday ran from May 31 to June 2.
Traditional festival activities drove much of the tourism activity, with dragon boat races in Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Zhejiang provinces attracting large crowds. Cultural venues including the Palace Museum and National Museum of China reported strong attendance, while Beijing hosted 1,119 commercial performances drawing 458,000 spectators.
The holiday period, which overlapped with Children's Day this year, saw a surge in family travel. Theme parks and short-distance trips via high-speed rail or car proved particularly popular in major city clusters like the Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. County-level destinations also gained traction among travelers seeking less crowded alternatives.
Tourism authorities unveiled multiple measures to boost spending, including discounted tickets and promotional packages. Technology-enhanced experiences, such as drone delivery services in Shenzhen and AI-powered travel planning in Jiangsu's Zhouzhuang ancient town, added modern touches to traditional festival celebrations.
China registers 119 million domestic tourist trips during Dragon Boat Festival holiday
