Cultural tourism drives Beijing's robust New Year holiday spending

A grand national flag-raising ceremony is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Xie Han)

BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- During the New Year holiday, Beijing saw 8.808 million tourist visits, generating a total tourism revenue of 10.97 billion yuan (about 1.56 billion U.S. dollars), said the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism on Saturday.

This year's New Year holiday runs from Thursday to Saturday. Throughout the holiday period, Beijing curated diverse and integrated cultural and tourism experiences.

In terms of the performance market, Beijing hosted 275 commercial performances during the three-day holiday, attracting over 200,000 attendees and generating over 76 million yuan in box office revenue, according to the bureau.

During the holiday period, the bureau selected over 70 key activities and released a New Year cultural and tourism activity map, offering residents and visitors a comprehensive guide to holiday events.

Additionally, 30 themed itineraries were introduced, unlocking new ways for visitors to explore the city in winter. Public cultural institutions across Beijing, including cultural centers and libraries at all levels, organized 395 public cultural activities, attracting over 340,000 participants.

According to the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, during the New Year holiday, key monitored enterprises in sectors including department stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, catering, and e-commerce in Beijing achieved cumulative sales of 4.04 billion yuan.