Beijing, (TD): As China’s Mid-Autumn Festival holidays concluded on Tuesday, the country witnessed a sharp increase in return travel via railways, highways, and airlines.
Over the three-day break, the revival of traditional Chinese cultural experiences such as lantern displays, moonlit boat rides, fireworks, and Hanfu garden tours gave a significant boost to cultural tourism, helping to fuel China’s economic recovery.
China Railway data indicated that the national railways were expected to handle 15.2 million trips on the final day of the holidays, with an additional 1,030 passenger trains scheduled to meet the high demand.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Administration of China reported a projected 1.85 million passenger trips by air, reflecting a 30.59 percent month-on-month increase.
Online travel platforms noted a surge in interest for traditional cultural experiences, particularly among younger tourists.
According to data from the platform Fliggy, searches for moon-viewing tours grew by 61 percent, while lantern-viewing tours witnessed a remarkable 267 percent increase compared to last year.
The release of the popular game “Black Myth: Wukong” further boosted interest in ancient architecture tours.
Shanxi Province, which boasts the country’s largest collection of preserved ancient buildings, saw a 16 percent rise in car rentals and self-driving tour bookings during the Mid-Autumn Festival, compared to the Dragon Boat Festival earlier in the year.
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Ancient Towns Draw Large Crowds
Ancient towns also drew large crowds, with Zhouzhuang, a historic town in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, introducing themed lantern cruise boats featuring lanterns shaped like moons, koi fish, and other symbols of traditional life.
These scenic displays became major attractions, offering a glimpse into Suzhou’s cultural heritage.
Another domestic travel platform, ancient architecture tours, lantern festivals, and other cultural activities were particularly popular among young people this year.
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“The blend of culture and tourism was a defining feature of this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, driving up tourism spending and supporting the preservation of cultural heritage,” remarked Jiang Yiyi, vice dean of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University.
Jiang noted that China’s tourism industry is well on its way to a full recovery, with some regional markets even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
“Although high-end spending has seen a decline, the strong growth in mass-market consumption is laying a robust foundation for sustained economic recovery,” he added.
