287 million tourists travel around China during New Year holiday

Some 287 million tourists travelled in China during the first four days of the week-long Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, up 11.1 percent from the same period last year, new data showed Sunday.

Tourists enjoy lanterns and decorations for the Chinese Lunar New Year at Yuyuan Garden in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 17, 2018. Various celebrations were held all over China, to embrace the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, which fell on Feb. 16 this year. [Photo: Xinhua/Zhuang Yi]

Tourism revenue rose 11.6 percent to 352.7 billion yuan (55.61 billion U.S. dollars) in the four days, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) said.

On Sunday alone, some 73 million tourist trips were made across the country, up 15.3 percent, while tourism revenue rose 16.6 percent to 94.4 billion yuan.

Tourists visit the Largo Do Senado in Macao, south China, Feb. 17, 2018. The Chinese people enjoy their week-long holiday for the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, which fell on Feb. 16 this year. [Photo: Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka]

Some 385 million tourists are expected to travel around China during the holiday spanning from Feb. 15 to 21, an increase of 12 percent, the CNTA forecast earlier this month.

China earned 5.4 trillion yuan from tourism in 2017, an increase of 15.1 percent.