The ancient city of Lhasa sees an unexpected boom in tourism after featuring in the China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala, the world's most-watched TV program airing on the Chinese New Year's Eve.
The annual show, aired on Tuesday evening, selected the plateau city in the Xizang Autonomous Region for the first time as one of its stage parts along with the main venue in Beijing. A unique cultural heritage of the local ethnic groups were showcased at the sub-venue against the backdrop of the iconic Potala Palace.
The impact was immediate. According to travel platform Ctrip, online searches for Lhasa jumped more than 100 percent compared with last week, with hotels, traditional costume rental shops, and local markets reporting significant increases in bookings.
"I'm from Mianyang of Sichuan. I watched the promotion video about the CMG Spring Festival Gala's Xizang sub-venue. The gala's stage background will stand here until the eighth day of the Chinese new year, So I decided to come here to feel the joyous new year atmosphere," said Dai Yi, a tourist.
The city's major attractions, including the historic Barkhor Street and Zongjiao Lukang Park, are now bustling with visitors eager to experience the unique blend of Xizang local customs and Chinese New Year celebrations.
"The street is also beautifully decorated, and the festive vibe of the Chinese New Year is very strong. Lhasa happens to be a sub-venue, so here we can also feel the atmosphere of the Spring Festival Gala," said Lei Jinjiao, a tourist.
"I have always been longing for Xizang, and this year's Spring Festival Gala sub-venue was selected in Xizang's Lhasa, which immediately ignited my enthusiasm for travel. Since I came here, I found that this place is full of surprises," said Cui Xiaoping, another tourist.
The surging influx of visitors during the holiday has put pressure on the city's transport infrastructure, with both the Qinghai-Xizang Railway and Lhasa's airport reporting peak passenger numbers during the holiday period.
The 2025 gala is the first since Spring Festival's successful inclusion on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
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Xizang tourism surges after Spring Festival Gala spotlight