China's five-day May Day holiday, a key moviegoing period, concluded with a cumulative box office of 758 million yuan (approx. 105 million U.S. dollars), marking a 1.41 percent year-on-year increase, according to final statistics released by the National Film Administration on Wednesday.
Alongside the total revenue growth, key operational metrics showed broad expansion. Total attendance surged 10.23 percent to 20.84 million viewers, while the number of screenings rose 2 percent to 2.38 million during the holiday that ended on Tuesday.
The uptick in foot traffic and showings was largely supported by a more consumer-friendly pricing strategy: the average ticket price dropped to 36.3 yuan, an 8 percent decline from last year's 39.5 yuan, making cinema outings significantly more accessible during the peak travel period.
Beyond traditional screenings, the holiday period highlighted the continuous upgrade of "film+" business models. Theaters and distributors increasingly integrated cross-sector experiences, including themed merchandising, interactive exhibitions, dining partnerships, and localized promotional campaigns.
Coupled with targeted consumer subsidies and platform discounts, these initiatives delivered a more diverse and value-driven entertainment experience, successfully converting casual holiday foot traffic into sustained cultural consumption.
The strong performance reflects cinema's expanding role as a catalyst for broader service-sector growth. Since the beginning of this year, China's full film industry chain has surpassed 210 billion yuan in total output value.
May Day holiday box office hit 758 mln yuan as “film+” economy, affordable pricing drive cinema frenzy
