The 2026 China Media Group (CMG)'s Spring Festival Gala, which aired from Monday night to Tuesday in celebration of the Chinese New Year, offered a joyous audiovisual feast to audiences both at home and abroad, setting new records in viewership.
As of 08:00 on Tuesday, the gala's total media reach in China soared to 23.063 billion views, a 37.3-percent increase compared to the previous year. The live broadcast captured a remarkable 79.29 percent share of the national television market, achieving a 13-year high. During the gala time, the average number of viewers (or listeners) online simultaneously reached 325 million, with peak viewership exceeding 400 million.
The gala's viewership on Chinese new media platforms reached new heights this year. The total number of direct-on-demand views skyrocketed to 16.207 billion, a 49 percent year-on-year increase. Among these, CMG's own app recorded a total playback volume of 770 million, up 2.7 percent year on year. Live broadcast playback reached 605 million times, an increase of 60.05 million compared to last year. The accessible version of the gala accumulated a direct-on-demand playback volume of 28.3366 million on CMG's channels and apps, representing an impressive 144 percent year-on-year increase.
The gala's online popularity continued to climb, with nearly 2,000 topics trending. As of 13:00 on Tuesday, the total reading volume for topics related to the 2026 gala reached 27.12 billion. Major platforms experienced a surge in trending discussions, listing a total of 1,939 topics. Among the viewers across all media channels for the gala, young users accounted for a growing share of 41.82 percent, an increase of 1.35 percentage points from the previous year. Mentions of programs related to new quality productive forces also rose, with content about AI and humanoid robots making up 20.99 percent, reflecting a remarkable 5.4-fold increase. Meanwhile, CMG reported the gala globally through 85 foreign language platforms. CGTN's (China Global Television Network) related reports reached a global readership of 2.309 billion, while video views totaled 843 million, representing increases of 32.85 percent and 43.61 percent, respectively, compared to last year. The CMG coordinated with nearly 4,000 media outlets worldwide to provide simultaneous broadcasts and coverage of the gala, marking a 37.95 percent increase. A total of 4,062 public screens across 140 cities from 98 countries livestreamed and promoted the event, with the number of countries and screens rising by 12.6 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively, compared to last year.
2026 Spring Festival Gala achieves record-breaking viewership, global reach
A landmark visa-free arrangement for British passport holders to enter China officially came into force on Tuesday, coinciding with the start of the Year of the Horse, with many believing the move will inspire more UK travelers to come and explore the wonders of China.
As China celebrates its Spring Festival, the most important annual holiday marking the Chinese New Year, British visitors arriving in Beijing on Monday were given a special surprise as they were invited to take part in a lucky draw, with some touristy prizes on offer.
Travelers were encouraged to randomly pick an envelope, the contents of which included a range of gift packages such as tickets to the famous Great Wall or Peking Opera performances, as well as other curated holiday routes, giving international visitors an instant invitation to join in with China's festive celebrations.
"I like how everyone is really friendly. And the food is really great. And I love history, so I'm going to the Forbidden City," said Amy, one of the newly-arrived tourists.
Meanwhile, Kaelan Meehan, another British tourist, revealed he has a packed schedule ahead in the coming days. He said he will be heading to the far northeastern city of Qiqihar to visit his wife's family, before heading nearly 3,000 kilometers south to take in the stunning scenery of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed site of Zhangjiajie in central China's Hunan, which is known for inspiring the blockbuster 'Avatar' movie series.
"We are going to Qiqihar, which is where the family is, spending a few days there. And then going to Zhangjiajie to do some sightseeing. And then Beijing to see the Summer Palace, which we were planning on, which is good, and then the Great Wall," said Meehan.
The warm welcome for these arrivals in Beijing comes alongside new travel facilitation measures which should allow more UK travelers to experience China.
China's Foreign Ministry announced that starting Tuesday, ordinary passport holders from Britain will be eligible for visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days, for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit. The policy will remain in effect until the end of this year.
It came following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day official visit to China in January, which marked the first trip by a UK prime minister to the country in eight years, and saw the two sides pledging to strengthen bilateral ties.
For many British travelers, the visa-free announcement brings greater convenience when planning future trips, while officials are also optimistic the move will spur greater enthusiasm for travel.
"I think it's really exciting. I think a lot of people might [find it] daunting thinking about going through a whole visa process just to like travel to a different country. So being able to travel, I think, for 30 days without a visa will be really enticing for people from the UK to want to go and visit China for the first time," said Leah, a tourist who was set to depart from London.
"I believe this visa-free policy will greatly encourage more British people to visit China for tourism, business, and study, boosting people-to-people exchanges and strengthening the foundation of our bilateral ties," said Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London.
China has been expanding its visa-waiver policies in recent years to facilitate greater travel convenience, boost international tourism and promote people-to-people exchanges, with the UK and Canada now being added to the growing list of countries eligible for the 30-day visa-free entry.
Beijing welcomes British tourists as visa-free agreement takes effect
Beijing welcomes British tourists as visa-free agreement takes effect
