2026.02.27
1. ITB China Announces Georgia as Official Destination Partner for 2026
Source: TravelDaily
On February 2, ITB China officially announced that Georgia has been named the Official Destination Partner for ITB China 2026. As a leading B2B platform focused on China’s outbound travel market, ITB China will collaborate with the Georgia National Tourism Administration on multi-dimensional initiatives, including destination marketing, industry engagement, and business matchmaking. The partnership aims to further enhance Georgia’s visibility and deepen industry cooperation within China’s tourism sector.
2. Mafengwo Partners with Tongren to Showcase Intangible Cultural Heritage Through Technology
Source: Mafengwo
Ahead of the Spring Festival, a large-scale intangible cultural heritage (ICH) promotion campaign titled "TongRen.Grammy" was launched in Tongren, Guizhou Province, at the Mount Fanjing Scenic Area and Zhongnanmen Ancient Town, running until March 3.
Jointly organized by the Publicity Department of the Tongren Municipal Committee and travel community platform Mafengwo, the campaign integrated advanced robotic arm technology with cinematic slow-motion filming techniques inspired by the Grammy Awards. The initiative enabled visitors to create high-quality, cinematic ICH-themed videos.
Twelve representative ICH items were featured, including Shiqian "Spring Narratives," Dejiang Nuo Opera, Sinan Lantern Opera, Yuping Xiao and Di flute craftsmanship, Shiqian puppet theater, and Songtao Miao Flower Drum Dance. Through immersive slow-motion filming, the campaign created memorable Spring Festival experiences for participants.
3. Emirates and Loong Air Sign Interline Agreement
Source: TravelDaily
On February 13, 2026, Emirates signed an interline agreement with Zhejiang Loong Airlines to further expand its network coverage in China. Under the agreement, Emirates passengers can connect via Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong to 22 destinations served on Loong Air across China.
The newly accessible destinations span East China, Northeast China, South China, Central China, and Southwest China, offering both business and leisure travelers greater choice and flexibility.
4. Meituan Users Visited an Average of 2.2 Cities During Spring Festival
Source: Meituan
On February 23, Meituan released its 2026 Spring Festival Consumption Insight Report. Driven by family reunions and the growing trend of "reverse holiday travel," the top ten popular destinations were Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Wuhan.
Among county-level destinations, Yiwu (Zhejiang), Heshan (Guangdong), and Zhangjiagang (Jiangsu) ranked highest in tourism popularity during the holiday period.
Family travel continued to gain momentum, with bookings for children’s tickets up 76% year-on-year. Multi-generational travel emerged as a key trend, with total spending on group vacations increasing 79% compared to the previous year.
During the holiday, Meituan users visited an average of 2.2 cities, while the proportion of travelers visiting multiple cities rose by 50% year-on-year.
5. Domestic Travel Orders Hit Record High; Hotel Room Nights Up 75% During Spring Festival
Source: Fliggy
Fliggy data revealed that domestic travel orders reached a new record during the Spring Festival holiday. Attraction ticket bookings increased by more than 80% year-on-year, while hotel room nights rose by 75%.
The extended holiday further stimulated mid-holiday travel demand, with orders for trips departing between the second and fifth day of the Lunar New Year increasing by approximately 30% year-on-year.