China's Lunar New Year spending surges beyond pre-pandemic level

Travel also soars as millions meet up with family and friends

20240217 China Shanghai Lunar New Year tourists

Visitors throng Shanghai's Yu Garden during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday. © Reuters

CK TAN, Nikkei staff writer

SHANGHAI -- Travel and spending during China's Lunar New Year holiday surged beyond the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019 despite concerns over slowing economic growth.

Total domestic trips for the eight-day long that began on Feb. 10 rose 34.3% to 474 million, while tourism receipts grew 47.3% to 632.6 billion yuan ($89 billion) according to data published Sunday by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. That's 19% more in term of trips and 7.7% more in terms of tourism spending from the equivalent period in 2019.

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