SZ among top 5 cities for intl. tourists this Spring Festival

Shenzhen ranked as the fifth-most popular destination among 107 Chinese cities visited by international travelers seeking to experience the rich traditions of the Chinese New Year this year, according to data from travel platform Qunar.

During the nine-day Spring Festival holiday, the number of domestic flight bookings made with non-Chinese passports increased by 20% year on year.

Data from Ctrip, another major online travel platform, revealed that Shenzhen topped the list of the most popular Guangdong destinations for overseas tourists during the holiday, with inbound travel orders surging 31% compared to the previous year. The top five most-visited attractions included Window of the World, Qianhai Ice and Snow World, Splendid China • Folk Culture Villages, and Shenzhen Safari Park.

Visitors observe flamingos at Shenzhen Safari Park on Feb. 17, the first day of the Chinese New Year. Photo from Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

The city’s allure, however, extended well beyond traditional festivities. Huaqiangbei, renowned as “China’s No. 1 Electronics Street,” became a must-visit hub for domestic and international visitors eager to experience a “tech-infused” Chinese New Year. The influx of tourists drove hotel occupancy in the area to an impressive average of 80%. Notably, check-ins by foreign nationals surged by 100%, with some hotels reporting a complete shortage of rooms.

According to the city’s tourism authority, Shenzhen welcomed nearly 10.55 million visitors during the holiday, a 17.9% increase compared to the eight-day holiday in 2025. Tourism revenue reached 11.85 billion yuan, marking a 19.8% year-on-year growth.

This vibrant tourism activity reflects a notable shift in travel patterns this year. Traditionally, the Spring Festival holiday sees a mass migration of young professionals leaving major cities to return to their hometowns for family reunions. This year, however, a growing number of parents traveled to major cities to spend the holiday with their children — a trend experts are calling “reverse reunion.”

Qunar data placed Shenzhen among the top five domestic destinations for this reverse migration during the holiday, with hotel bookings in the city breaking into the national top three for the first time.