The Zhuhai land port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) in south China has experienced a surging inbound passenger and vehicle traffic during the Qingming Festival holiday, as many Hong Kong and Macao residents travel northward to visit relatives, pay respects to ancestors, and take spring outings.
According to the HZMB border inspection station, from Friday, the day before the three-day Qingming Festival holiday started, to 21:00 on Saturday, over 229,000 passenger trips and more than 38,000 vehicle crossings were recorded at the Zhuhai land port. Notably, inbound traffic alone amounted to 160,000 passenger trips and approximately 26,000 vehicle crossings.
"In addition to family travelers, there are also apparently more group tours from Hong Kong and Macao, up about 20 percent from previous years," said Xiong Lei, an officer with the HZMB's Zhuhai border inspection station.
The increase in traffic is primarily driven by a combination of family visits, ancestor worship, and sightseeing demand. Self-driving tours to the mainland have emerged as a popular new choice for Hong Kong and Macao residents. The convenience of cross-border driving, coupled with the policy of exempting small passenger vehicles from tolls during the Qingming Festival holiday, has further boosted the desire to travel across the border.
"We are going to Dongguan for family visits, and we'll return to Hong Kong after about three days of fun," said Feng, a self-driving traveler.
"We are from Hong Kong and plan to go to Zhongshan for sightseeing and having some fun," said Zhang, a traveler from Hong Kong.
To manage the peak flow of passengers and vehicles, the HZMB border inspection station has deployed additional police forces and opened more inspection channels in advance. Border control authorities anticipate that outbound passenger and vehicle traffic will peak on Monday and Tuesday.
Qingming influx traffic to Zhuhai port of HZM Bridge surging
Scenic spots across China have all seen surging tourist flow during the Qingming Festival holiday as people are going outdoors to enjoy good springtime.
Falling on April 5 this year, the Qingming Festival, or the 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.
At the Fenghuanggou scenic spot in Nanchang City, east China's Jiangxi Province, a vast field of hydrangeas bloom across the hillsides. The colorful hydrangeas spread out in well-arranged patchwork, making visitors feel as if they have stepped into a dreamlike world of flowers.
Tourists stroll among the blossoms, with some slowing down to quietly take in the scenery and others raising cameras to capture memories, relaxing both body and mind amidst the fragrance of flowers and the spring sunshine.
"Walking through a sea of flowers like this and seeing such beautiful blossoms make me feel the vitality of spring while completely escaping the hustle and bustle of the city," said Xu Geyu, a tourist.
Continuing on from the hydrangea sea, the scenic spot's cherry blossom is also in the best viewing period. Unlike ordinary cherry blossom groves, the cherry trees here are interplanted among tea bushes that stretch across the mountainsides, creating distinct layers and forming a unique landscape.
This year, the scenic spot has leveraged its sericulture and other specialty ecological industries to create new business models that integrate agriculture and tourism, providing a variety of mulberry-leaf-flavored snacks and drinks for tourists.
"We tried mulberry-flavored coffee and mulberry-leaf-flavored ice cream -- both were delicious. They are the flavors that we've never tasted before. I think they are quite special," said Ye Zitong, another tourist.
Meanwhile, the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in central China's Hunan Province has also welcomed a peak in visitors. With fine weather and wild mountain flowers in full bloom, the scenic spot has become a popular destination for flower viewing and mountaineering, brimming with the liveliness and vitality of spring.
In springtime, The Tianmen Mountain features layered peaks covered in a profusion of flowers. Pink-white and bright red blossoms dot the dramatic mountain ridges, creating a stunning spring landscape painting.
"I feel it's quite magnificent. It's even more magnificent and beautiful after I climbed 999 steps to the Tianmen Cave. It's also very cool there. I really love it," said Ai Sichen, another tourist.
According to the preliminary statistics from the scenic spot, on the first day of the Qingming Festival holiday, the park welcomed over 20,000 visitors.
Furthermore, at the Hukou Waterfall scenic spot on the Yellow River at the border of the northern province of Shanxi and the northwestern province of Shaanxi, the roaring Yellow River water plunges dramatically. Illuminated by sunlight, a rainbow appears spanning both banks, creating a magnificent spring scene that draws many tourists.
Scenic spots across China see surging tourist flow during Qingming Festival holiday
