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Millions of Chinese citizens embarked on journeys home on Friday, marking the start of the Lunar New Year travel rush.
Lugging suitcases and gifts, travellers crowded train stations and airports across the world, eager to reunite with family for the Year of the Snake celebrations.
This year’s holiday, falling between January 28th and February 4th, is China’s largest annual festival.
The Lunar New Year typically provides a significant boost to the Chinese economy, with increased spending in sectors like retail, entertainment, and dining. Authorities have extended the official holiday period to eight days, aiming to encourage consumer spending and bolster the sluggish economy.
In addition to the extended holiday, the government has implemented several measures to stimulate consumption. These include promoting winter holiday destinations and ensuring affordable air travel options, as announced at a State Council press conference on Friday. These initiatives are part of a broader effort to revitalize the economy, which has also seen interest rate cuts, pension increases, and expanded trade-in programs for consumer goods.
Despite these efforts, some businesses and travellers report that spending remains cautious. Concerns linger about the ongoing property market downturn and job security, leading many to continue tightening their belts. While the festive atmosphere is undeniable, the underlying economic anxieties suggest a tempered celebration this Lunar New Year.
A Beijing-based sales professional named Liu, who was at a railway station in the Chinese capital preparing to return to his hometown in the northeast, said concerns about the economy and employment were widespread.
He preferred not to share his full name because of the sensitivity of the issue.
“It’s become even more difficult to earn money and find a job. There are many more unemployed people, and they all say it is more difficult,” he said.
Qiang, a hairdresser working in central Beijing who wanted to be known only by his nickname, said that while people were still getting their hair cut for the holiday, they were being more selective about other services.
“At this time of year, we usually have many customers who come to dye their hair or get a perm. But we have fewer of those lucrative clients now,” he said. “We used to have eight to 10 such clients a day during this season in normal years. But last year and this year, we only have about two to three.”
China’s transport ministry estimates a total of 9 billion trips will be made across the country during the 40 day travel period around the festival, up from 8.4 billion trips recorded during the same period last year.
But some people said they were foregoing the return home so they could earn more money.
“If I stay in Beijing, I will be paid triple salary for four days, I don’t want to give up the opportunity to make money,” said Nie, a 57-year-old who works at a sports centre in Beijing. “I started working here just three months ago, I haven’t managed to make much money in 2024.” She withheld her full name for privacy reasons.
One bright spot for consumption is the cinema, with advance film ticket sales exceeding 400 million yuan ($55.24 million) by Jan. 23, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan, the fastest-ever pre-sales for the Lunar New Year season.
Much of the demand has been driven by the film Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants starring actor and singer Xiao Zhan, who is also a brand ambassador for luxury goods companies including Gucci and Tod’s.
The recovery is welcome news for the film industry, which has struggled recently, total revenues for China’s box office were 22.6% lower in 2024 than in the year before.
More Chinese are also opting to go overseas on long-haul trips this year, according to Trip.com, China’s largest online travel agency. The extended holiday means people will only need to take two days leave for an 11-day break.
Travel agency Qunar said that bookings for outbound flights and holiday packages on its platform had doubled from last year.
The most popular destinations are elsewhere in Asia, according to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Southeast Asia remains popular, with ticketing volume for Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia all increasing more than 50%. Tickets to Japan grew by 58%, while demand for Hong Kong nearly doubled.
Meanwhile in Taiwan a pet store in Taipei is offering adventurous customers an opportunity to enjoy the company of snakes while sipping coffee, hoping to break down some of the prejudice against the animal.
Taiwan has been plastered with images of the reptile ahead of the start of the Lunar New Year, which starts on Wednesday and whose zodiac animal this year is the snake.
The snake has a mixed reputation in traditional Taiwanese and Chinese culture as a symbol of either good or bad.
Some of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples venerate snakes as guardian spirits, and while the island is home to species potentially deadly to humans, including vipers and cobras, deaths are rare given the wide availability of anti-venom.
Luo Chih-yu, 42, the owner of the Taipei pet shop Pythonism which opened in 2017, is offering potential snake owners the chance to interact with snakes over a cup of coffee.
“I provide a space for people to try and experience, finding out whether they like them without any prejudice,” he said.
Liu Ting-chih took his daughter to the shop, who looked curiously at the animals in their cages.
“Through this activity she can learn how to take care of small animals and cherish them,” Liu said.
Sub-tropical and mountainous Taiwan is home to some 60 native snake species.
