Passengers departing for China from London Heathrow Airport were immersed in a festive atmosphere on Sunday evening, as Terminal 2 was transformed into a celebration venue ahead of flights to the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shenzhen.
The event was held to mark the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, the most important traditional holiday in China and a time for family reunions, which falls on Feb. 17 this year.
At Heathrow, a Spring Festival send-off ceremony featured red lanterns, spring couplets and intricate paper-cut window decorations, all traditional elements associated with the holiday. Staff distributed holiday gift packs and cultural souvenirs to travelers, while many passengers stopped to learn about Spring Festival traditions and take photos.
Organizers said the event aimed to allow foreign travelers to experience the festive spirit before arriving in China, while also creating a warm holiday atmosphere for overseas Chinese communities.
The lively celebration comes amid growing interest in travel to China. For an increasing number of international travelers, visiting China has become part of their travel plans, driven by curiosity about the country's rich culture, modern cities and diverse landscapes.
"[I want to] See the landmarks, see something really different than what I'm used to, the size of everything, the history. I'm going to go on a tour guide and see the Forbidden City, kind like around the Tian'anmen and everything," said a British passenger.
To further facilitate cross-border travel, China decides to extend its visa-free policy to ordinary passport holders from the UK, starting from Feb 17, 2026. Ordinary passport holders from the country can be exempted from visa to enter China and stay for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family friends visit, exchange and transit purposes.
"I think it will make it a lot easier for me to go back and forth often to China. Much easier entry," said another British passenger.
"British citizens being able to travel to China visa free is a really great thing. It's truly a wonderful thing. [British citizens] can both travel to China, and engage in trade there. It's incredibly convenient," said Lucas, a British student at Zhejiang University in east China.
Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London, said the Spring Festival serves not only as an emotional symbol for the Chinese people but also as an important window through which the world can better understand China.
"They're welcome to visit China, celebrate the Spring Festival and experience the rich festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year," he said.
Spring Festival spirit fills London airport as travelers head to China
Spring Festival spirit fills London airport as travelers head to China
