China has seen a notable rise in cultural tourism and inbound travel over Mid-Autumn Festival period, which shows increased interests in both cultural and natural sceneries.
The time-honored Mid-Autumn Festival has always featured family reunions since ancient times, summoning people's craving for traveling vast distances to be with their families and loved ones.
According to China Mobile's Wutong Big Data, the average distance traveled for family reunion was 253 kilometers during this year's holiday that ran from Sept 15 to 17. Short-distance trips of under 200 kilometers were most common, comprising 63 percent of the total, while 27 percent of travelers journeyed between 200 and 500 kilometers, and 10 percent traveled over 500 kilometers, indicating a strong preference for shorter, more manageable trips among holidaymakers.
In addition to family reunions, the popularity of traditional activities such as moon gazing and lantern shows continued to rise. Themed night tours featuring lantern displays attracted significant attention to notable spots such as the Beijing Garden Expo Park, Guangzhou Cultural Park, Luogang Park in Hefei, Songgai Ancient Town in Chongqing, and Meiyuan Hengshan Scenic Area in Wuxi.
The holiday also marked a rise in inbound tourism, with a 22 percent increase in international visitors compared with last year. Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa are the regions with the largest climb in inbound tourists.
The provinces of Shanxi, Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, and Hunan experienced the highest increases in international arrivals, with some even more than doubling the numbers of the previous year.
As China continues to expand its tourism appeal, the upward trends in travel and cultural engagement are set to continue into future holiday seasons.
China sees surge in tourism market during Mid-Autumn Festival
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Heilongjiang Province in north and northeast China are busily unfolding winter tourism and sports activities, entertaining tourists coming far and wide with their rich ice and snow resources in the wintertime.
In Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia, over 30 volcanoes dot the Wulanhada Volcano Geopark, creating a natural "volcano museum" set against the vast grasslands. To enhance the experience, local authorities have introduced a dedicated light show and provided spacesuits for tourists as they wander among the volcanoes.
"It feels like traveling on Mars. The gorgeous vista makes us feel so happy," said Zhang Yujie, a tourist.
In addition to the natural charm and splendors, visitors can enjoy a thrilling cultural performance. The Huohu (fire pot) show, a national intangible cultural heritage, features performers who place red-hot charcoal into a special iron net. By shaking and spinning the net, they create a dazzling display for the audience.
After watching the fire performance, tourists can engage in various ice and snow sports. At a local ski resort, several winter activities are offered for fun.
"The cohesion of our team grew stronger after participating in the sports event. It was a relaxing and joyful experience," said Qin Lan, another tourist.
This winter, Ulanqab City will host hundreds of tourism activities to boost the winter tourism scene. To enhance visitors' experiences, local authorities have optimized seven tourism routes, opened four new airlines connecting Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Zhengzhou, and Shijiazhuang, and launched two ski bus routes.
In Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province, China's picturesque Snow Town has also opened its doors to tourists.
Around 4,000 red lanterns adorn the snow-covered landscape, creating a magical winter wonderland.
"We're so excited. We came from southern China and saw snow for the first time. We were lucky enough to meet snowfall by chance. I even rolled in the snow – it's very funny," said Wu Xiaorui, a tourist from Guangdong Province.
In preparation for the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin in 2025, China's Snow Town has undergone significant infrastructure upgrades. Local authorities have developed a new commercial street along the river, built a plank road through the forest, and improved the snow street, ensuring a better experience for all visitors.
Ice and snow wonderland in China unfolds bustling winter tourism, sports
