New ways to celebrate Spring Festival
Fireworks, family banquets and temple fairs are all part of the Spring Festival tradition. However, more and more Chinese are finding new ways to spend the holidays. Let's take a look at how the Spring Festival is changing with the times.
The seven-day Spring Festival holiday is one of the three peak periods for travel peaks. The others are May Day Holiday and National Day in October. Two extremes are the favorite of winter travellers -- somewhere hot or somewhere very cold. China's wintry northeast and the tropical island of Hainan are the most popular.
The travel industry has experienced a good start in 2010 after suffering last year because of the A/H1N1 flu. Major travel promotions were sold out by the end of January. Outbound travel offers more packages than before, including the traditional Southeast Asian route, Europe, Hong Kong, Macao, and holiday packages rising in popularity such as Taiwan, America, Australia and Africa.
A Folk vacation package is a specialty of the Spring Festival season. Intangible heritage culture tours from China's north to its south are in the spotlight as they let visitors experience the rich history and diverse culture of China with family members.
More and more Chinese people, especially young urbanites are taking the seven day holiday as a chance to have a break, seeing out the old while ushering the new year in a relaxing way. Fitness programs are becoming hot -- working up a sweat in the gym, team sports, hitting the slopes, or enjoying hot spring spa to soothe your nerves are growing popularity. But for those who'd rather not sweat their way through a work out, the karaoke parlours beckon.
Going to the cinema is also a popular way to spend time with family members, especially as this year's Spring Festival falls on February 14th -- Valentine's Day in the west. Chinese new year has become country's biggest season for new movies. With nearly 50 movies now being released around the Chinese new year, there is plenty of choice, whether you want to take in a romantic film, or enjoy a comedy and action movie with friends and family.