Train tickets for the first day of the upcoming New Year’s Day holiday in China have already been snatched up, according to data from online travel platforms, with several popular routes even selling out within seconds.
This year’s New Year’s Day holiday in China lasts from December 30, 2023 to January 1, 2024, during which Tongcheng Research Institute is forecasting increased traffic on high-speed rail routes due to family visits, general tourism, and the rising popularity of “ice and snow” tourism propelled by China’s outdoors sports craze among the middle class. The top destinations include Harbin, Shenyang, Urumqi, and Hulun Buir.
Moreover, cities such as Harbin, Nanjing, Wuhan, Shanghai, and Beijing experienced higher volumes of hotel bookings for New Year’s Eve, as reported by travel platform Qunar. The data from the online travel agency Trip.com revealed a 194% increase in pre-booked New Year’s Day train tickets compared to the same period last year.
Despite the plunging temperatures, travel enthusiasm remains strong, with consumers gearing up for the “ice and snow” tourism season. In recent years, China’s “ice and snow” consumption season has witnessed robust growth, developing a comprehensive consumer ecosystem encompassing tourism, sports, equipment, and culture. Compared to summer consumption, the “ice and snow” sector is relatively new but holds substantial potential for future expansion, according to Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute.
