Guangdong Province recorded a tourism boom during the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday, generating 84.89 billion yuan (approximately USD 11.7 billion) in revenue, according to data released on February 23 by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province.
During the nine-day holiday period from February 15 to 23, Guangdong welcomed 86.589 million visits, marking an 8.1 percent increase compared with the eight-day holiday in 2025. Total tourism revenue rose by 13.9 percent year-on-year.
Online travel platform data further underscores the strong momentum. Statistics from Trip.com Group show that during the 2026 Chinese New Year, Guangdong's online travel bookings grew by 23.7 percent year-on-year, while tourism spending increased by 21.5 percent. Among all Chinese provinces, Guangdong ranked first in both online travel agency (OTA) visitor numbers and tourism consumption.
Major cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai remained the top three destinations within the province in terms of visitor numbers. Meanwhile, emerging destinations such as Zhanjiang, Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang recorded notably faster growth, signaling rising interest in culturally distinctive and less traditional hotspots.
According to data from Tongcheng Travel, traditional Chinese New Year customs remained the centerpiece of holiday tourism. Experiencing authentic "nianwei," or festive New Year atmosphere, has become a key motivation for travelers. Across Guangdong, a wide array of Chinese New Year folk events and cultural celebrations drove holiday spending and visitor flows. Shantou, in particular, stood out as a "dark horse" destination for domestic travel during the holiday, leading growth rates nationwide.
Guangzhou-based Guangzhilv (GZL) International Travel Service LTD reported a 123 percent year-on-year increase in inbound tourist bookings to Guangdong during the holiday. Popular source markets included Zhejiang, Fujian and Hunan provinces. Visitors from outside Guangdong typically stayed between three and six days, drawn by Lingnan cultural heritage, Cantonese New Year traditions, authentic local cuisine, hot spring wellness experiences, and high-quality locally made products.
The latest figures highlight Guangdong's continued appeal as one of China's most dynamic and diverse holiday destinations, blending economic vitality with rich cultural traditions during the country's most important annual celebration.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Photo: Li Fangwang
