Journeys through the New Year

The Harbin Ice and Snow World in Heilongjiang drew more than 10,000 visitors with ice sculptures and winter activities spread over a 600,000-square-meter area.

Reports from Trip.com and the travel-service and social-networking platform Mafengwo show an evident increase in searches for skiing, snow experiences and hot springs.

The approaching 2022 Winter Olympics, which China will host, contributed to the increasing popularity of winter activities, Trip.com says.

Hubei province's capital, Wuhan, which was the city hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak in China, received more than 830,000 visits by travelers who spent at least one night in the city during the New Year period and generated 738 million yuan in total tourism revenue.

The immersive light show at the city's Yellow Crane Tower and Happy Valley theme park were particularly popular among holiday travelers.

Hubei province received 8.6 million visits and 3.9 billion yuan in tourism income.

Chen says he's still reminiscing about his holiday in Hainan.

"It felt good to wear short sleeves while my colleagues had to wrap themselves in thick clothes," he says, half-joking.

The local cuisine, beach and duty-free shopping made his stay more enjoyable.

"I'd like to make my Hainan visit an annual thing," Chen says.

"Hopefully, more friends will join me next year."

Hot spots

・ Sanya, Hainan province

・ Changsha, Hunan province

・ Dali, Yunnan province

・ Changbai Mountain, Jilin province

・ Haikou, Hainan province

・ Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province

・ Xuexiang, Heilongjiang province

・ Yangzhou, Jiangsu province

・ Anji, Zhejiang province

・ Moganshan, Zhejiang province

SOURCE: TRIP.COM GROUP