Int'l visitors enjoy 'very Chinese time' in New Year traveling, shopping

Although the Spring Festival used to be a low season for inbound travel, this year, more international tourists flew in to experience the country's most important time for family reunions.[Photo/Xinhua]

For the first time in over 10 years living in North China's Tianjin municipality, Hungarian businessman Tihanyi Istvan played the role of local host this Spring Festival to three fellow countrymen who had just arrived in China. Rather than taking them to the city's landmarks, he brought them straight to a festively decorated local food market.

Amid the bustling crowds, his friends got an authentic taste of Chinese New Year shopping traditions. "I took them to eat tangduner (sugar-coated hawthorns) and buy dried fruits and sunflower seeds. The stall owner said, 'Here, try some,' and they asked, 'Can we taste it here?' I said, 'Of course! How will you know if it's good if you don't try it?'" Tihanyi recalled.

Tihanyi later introduced his friends to paper-cutting, New Year picture rubbing, and dumpling-making. "Leading them into Chinese culture is the best welcome," he said, adding that he feels he is already "becoming Chinese."

Stories like this are now unfolding across China. Although the Spring Festival used to be a low season for inbound travel, this year, more international tourists flew in to experience the country's most important time for family reunions.

The National Immigration Administration predicts that daily inbound and outbound passenger flows during the Spring Festival holiday, which started on Feb 15, will exceed 2.05 million, up 14.1 percent year on year. Flight bookings by foreigners for the holiday soared over 400 percent from the previous year, according to data from online travel service provider Fliggy on Jan. 30.

More importantly, they are no longer content with sightseeing. They crave what many describe as an immersive "very Chinese time." This desire for deeper engagement is translating into real consumption.

According to the latest data from the State Taxation Administration, the number of overseas travelers claiming tax refunds jumped 305 percent year on year in 2025, while sales and the tax refund amount rose 95.9 percent and 95.8 percent, respectively. This year's surge in international visitors for the holiday is set to inject strong vitality into China's inbound consumption market.