Fresh vibes, vibrant scenes mark spirited start to nation's economy in 2026

Data show that daily visits to the waterfall increased 165 percent on average after the launch of the new railway. Nationwide, railway trips constitute part of a total of 590 million trips made via various transport modes during the holiday period, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.

Commenting on the booming tourism market, Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy, said that the year 2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). "At the start of the new year, we see tourism increasingly become part of Chinese people's daily lives, forming an essential part of cultural experience and spiritual enjoyment."

Apart from emotional satisfaction from travel, the practical allure of seaside retreats and duty-free shopping has also attracted a growing number of visitors to South China's resort island province of Hainan. Duty-free shopping got off to a strong start over the New Year holiday, with offshore duty-free sales reaching 712 million yuan from Jan 1 to 3, up 128.9 percent year-on-year, local customs data show. This surge in sales was backed by the number of shoppers that rose 60.6 percent year-on-year.

Data from travel services platform Qunar show that Haikou and Sanya in Hainan, among all Chinese cities, recorded the fastest increases in inbound passenger numbers via international flights during the New Year holiday, with entries into the two cities growing threefold and fivefold year-on-year, respectively.

During the holiday, duty-free shopping complexes in Sanya and Haikou were packed with bustling shoppers, with long lines forming at counters. This shopping frenzy came after China last month launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, the world's largest FTP by area. These operations have allowed for freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage, and introduced more business-friendly measures.

In addition to robust travel spending, the New Year holiday also witnessed a growing number of shoppers incentivized by government subsidies for purchases of digital products and AI-empowered home appliances under the consumer goods trade-in program.

Just before the new year, China set aside 62.5 billion yuan in special treasury bond funds ahead of time to support consumer goods trade-ins for 2026. The move aims to keep up with growing demand during the New Year and Spring Festival holidays, especially for products like cars and home appliances.

According to data provided by Suning, a leading Chinese home appliance retailer, the company's chain stores across the country saw a 110 percent rise in customer visits during the holiday as a result of the trade-in program. This policy is in line with the Central Economic Work Conference held in December, which announced that expanding domestic demand is set to top China's major economic priorities in 2026. The conference also outlined plans to implement consumption-boosting campaigns and increase the incomes of urban and rural residents.

Hong Yong, an associate researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the consumption market's dynamics during the New Year holiday has shown that the government's policies have promoted tourism and consumption and helped rebuild confidence.

"When policies are geared toward improving people's lives, the recovery of the consumer market gains its most solid foundation. The strong momentum witnessed at the beginning of the year marked a good start to 2026 and boosted confidence for continuous consumption expansion throughout the year," Hong said.

Xinhua