Tourism in Chongqing recovers during New Year holiday

Southwest China's Chongqing municipality saw its tourist and cultural activities bouncing back during the just-concluded three-day New Year holiday.

Over 471 thousand people visited the city's 115 key scenic spots from Saturday to Monday. Among them, about 425 thousand visitors made overnight stops.

Hongyadong Scenic Spot, one of Chongqing's landmarks, has become a hot tourist attraction over the three-day holiday. Located at the junction of the Yangtze River and the Jialing River, Hongyadong is a comprehensive wooden stilted group of houses from ancient Chongqing and has a history of around 2,300 years. The 11-story structure is also a photogenic spot in the city. At night, the whole construction is decorated with shining lights, attracting lots of photographers.

Expectations for a strong recovery in tourism have run high since China further optimized its COVID-19 approach in December 2022, scaling back mandatory testing and lifting most travel restrictions.