The long holiday is coming to an end, and the return trip traffic and passenger flow are reaching a peak. Sanya duty-free sales continue to break 1 billion yuan.

February 22, the sixth day of the Year of the Horse Spring Festival, marks the nearing end of the nine-day “longest Spring Festival holiday in history.” Data from various regions show that the number of tourists received has begun to decline. At the same time, this year’s Spring Festival tourism market remains hot, with multiple metrics hitting new highs.

The nine-day holiday is coming to an end, with peak return traffic across the country

On February 22, the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism released data showing that on the eighth day of the Spring Festival holiday (February 22), based on mobile signal big data modeling and statistics, Hunan Province received 21.7995 million tourists that day, a year-on-year increase of 3.47%. According to UnionPay Business big data modeling and statistics, the transaction volume was 72.3853 million transactions, up 52.24% year-on-year; the total transaction amount was 7.538 billion yuan, an increase of 42.98%.

Previously, Hunan Province disclosed that on February 21, it received 22.745 million tourists; on February 20, it received 24.2773 million tourists.

The Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism reported that on February 22, Hangzhou received a total of 2.4752 million tourists, a daily increase of 53.51% compared to the same period last year. On February 21, the city’s scenic spots (including rural tourism and museums) received 2.8 million visitors, a 65.95% increase year-on-year. On February 20, they received 2.82 million visitors, a 71.38% increase.

Meanwhile, return traffic across the country is gradually reaching its peak.

“Traffic jam, 32 kilometers in 2 hours on the Shankun Expressway,” some netizens posted on social media, sharing their experiences of traffic congestion.

Some netizens said that from Shaanxi to Shanghai, five hours were spent stuck in traffic out of a 10-hour drive, turning a 12-hour trip into 23 hours.

One user posted a navigation screenshot showing 236 kilometers remaining, estimated to take 5 hours and 48 minutes, with an expected arrival at 1:12 a.m.

Immersive intangible cultural heritage tours continue to heat up, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge sets new single-day traffic records for three consecutive days

This year’s Spring Festival coincided with the “longest Spring Festival holiday in history” and the “5 days off for 15 days leave” holiday window, leading to explosive growth in both volume and price in the domestic and international tourism markets.

A report released by Mafengwo on February 22 shows that, driven by the holiday effect, over 59.6% of long-distance travel orders during the Spring Festival lasted more than five days, with an average trip length of 6.4 days—half a day longer than last year. Family and parent-child groups accounted for 68%, and “three generations traveling together” reached 34%.

At the same time, as the second “Intangible Cultural Heritage Year of China” following the successful application for UNESCO World Heritage status, intangible cultural heritage experiences are shifting from “check-in” style to “immersive” experiences, becoming a prominent highlight in the cultural tourism market and driving continued enthusiasm.

Data from Mafengwo shows that searches for “intangible cultural heritage experiences” during the Spring Festival increased by 180% year-on-year, with the highest proportion of participants being post-2000s. Kaifeng in Henan is cultivating the “Song Culture” IP, with the Qingming Riverside Festival seeing a 163% increase in popularity; searches related to “Song Banquet” and “Guan Tang Xiao Long Bao” surged over 300%. Guizhou Tongren launched special “heritage beauty travel photography” services, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in intangible cultural heritage, boosting the city’s popularity by 139%.

It is worth noting that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area remains rich in festive atmosphere, with traditional performances such as lion dances, Yingge dances, and fire dragon shows continuing to attract crowds.

Previously, Lingnan Holdings (000524.SZ) released a report indicating that after the 15th National Games in 2025, the “post-National Games” effect will continue to unfold. Coupled with IPs like “Celebrate the New Year in Guangdong” and “Guangzhou New Year, Flower City Viewing,” which promote Lingnan’s festive atmosphere, these have not only attracted tourists who started their trips before the holiday and returned mid-holiday for short trips within Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau but also encouraged local residents to travel during the New Year after family reunions and visitors from other provinces to come to Guangdong and Guangzhou, jointly driving a short-term travel peak after February 19.

According to data from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Authority on February 22, traffic during the Spring Festival continued to rise, with three consecutive days setting new records for daily crossings. On February 19, the bridge saw 27,073 two-way trips, surpassing 27,000 for the first time and setting a new single-day record since opening. After that, on February 20, two-way traffic reached 27,093 trips; on February 21, it increased to 29,496 trips, breaking 29,000 for the first time and setting a new high since opening, marking a successful start to the Year of the Horse.

Sanya duty-free sales continue to exceed 100 million yuan, and local homestays are fully booked for consecutive days

As the first Spring Festival after the island-wide quarantine operation, Hainan’s cultural and tourism market is in full swing, especially with duty-free sales continuously surpassing 100 million yuan.

On February 22, the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Commerce reported that on February 21, the four offshore duty-free shops in Sanya had a total sales volume of 242 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 214.5% (18.2% lunar calendar growth). The total sales for the month reached 3.32 billion yuan, up 24% year-on-year.

Since the first day of the Year of the Horse Spring Festival (February 17), Sanya’s duty-free sales have exceeded 200 million yuan for five consecutive days. On February 17, the four offshore duty-free shops in Sanya recorded sales of 204 million yuan, setting a new record for “New Year’s Day.” On February 18, sales reached 251 million yuan, a 214.5% increase year-on-year (36.7% lunar calendar growth), with CDF Sanya International Duty-Free City breaking 200 million yuan in a single day. On February 19, sales totaled 252 million yuan, up 262.6% (27.6% lunar calendar growth); on February 20, sales hit 254 million yuan, an increase of 281.7% (28.7% lunar calendar growth).

Data from the Ly.com platform shows that during the first half of the Spring Festival holiday, the volume of inbound tickets at Haikou Meilan Airport and Sanya Phoenix Airport increased by over 300% compared to the previous month. In terms of hotel bookings, as of February 19, high-quality hotel reservations in Haikou and Sanya significantly exceeded the national average. Hotels in key bays such as Haitang Bay and Yalong Bay were particularly popular, with hotel occupancy in Haitang Bay increasing by 156% compared to the previous month. Beach view suites, family multi-bedroom suites, and family-themed rooms were among the most sought-after.

Meanwhile, local homestays also experienced peak occupancy. The SurYee Homestay under Yoyee Hotels in Sanya’s Haitang Bay was fully booked for three consecutive days from February 18 to 20.

Additionally, homestays and resort hotels in Wanning, Lingshui, and other areas also saw high occupancy during the holiday. According to the report from Ly.com, young travelers born in the 95 and 00 generations seeking “high quality and cost-effective” options made up the main customer base. Specifically, hotels and homestays themed around ocean views and surfing were highly popular, with some experiencing “difficulties in booking a room” during peak times.