On January 3, data from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism revealed a strong start for the province's tourism market during the 2026 New Year holiday. The province welcomed 17.875 million visitors, representing a daily average increase of 34.8% year-on-year, and generated tourism revenue of 9.98 billion yuan, with a daily average year-on-year growth of 39.8%. Furthermore, 4A-level and above scenic spots across the province received 5.561 million visitors, averaging a 15.3% daily increase compared to the previous year. On the same day, the Guangdong Province 2026 New Year Holiday Tourism Market Report released by Trip.com Group indicated robust performance in the province's online travel market. The number of travelers served by Online Travel Agencies surged 76.3% compared to the 2024 New Year period, while tourism spending skyrocketed by 102.4%. The significantly faster growth in spending compared to traveler numbers highlights a dual enhancement of market vitality and consumption potential. The report indicates that from a national competitive perspective, Guangdong Province ranked first among all Chinese provinces in both core metrics—number of travelers and total spending—solidifying its status as a major tourism destination with comprehensive appeal. Within the province, various cities exhibited differentiated growth patterns. In terms of visitor volume, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Foshan held the top three positions, while Zhuhai, with a remarkable 110.0% growth rate, jumped to fourth place. Dongguan and Huizhou ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Regarding consumption amounts, Guangzhou and Shenzhen continued to lead, but Zhuhai, with a staggering 196.6% increase, climbed to third place. Foshan leaped to fourth position with an explosive growth rate of 264.0%. Simultaneously, cities in Eastern and Northwestern Guangdong also demonstrated strong growth momentum, reflecting a continued positive trend towards more balanced regional development across the province's tourism market. The report also pointed to a vigorous recovery in Guangdong's inbound tourism market. The number of inbound visitors during the period surged 144.3% compared to the 2024 New Year holiday, with inbound tourism spending growing even faster at 172.9%. The spending growth significantly outpacing the increase in visitor numbers suggests a sustained rise in the consumption power of international tourists, further enhancing Guangdong's attractiveness and competitiveness in the global tourism market. In terms of the composition of inbound tourist sources, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Taiwan region, and Southeast Asia served as the core markets for Guangdong's inbound tourism. Hong Kong SAR remained the top source, accounting for 28.5% of arrivals, followed by Malaysia at 13.7%. Southeast Asian markets collectively contributed over 27% of inbound visitors, underscoring Guangdong's strong appeal within the regional tourism landscape. Taiwan region and Macao SAR accounted for 5.5% and 3.0% respectively, with the combined Greater Bay Area sources exceeding 30%, highlighting clear geographical advantages. For the domestic tourist market during the 2026 New Year period, the structure of Guangdong's online travel market was dominated by visitors from outside the province, who constituted 55.0% of the total, while local tourists accounted for 45.0%. Compared to the 2024 New Year period, the attractiveness of out-of-province source markets continued to strengthen, indicating an expanding influence of Guangdong as a popular national tourist destination and high activity in the inter-provincial travel market. The report showed that the domestic source market within the province exhibited a pattern of "twin cores leading, Pearl River Delta agglomeration." Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as core source cities, collectively accounted for 67.7% of the top 10 domestic source cities, maintaining stable rankings. Dongguan and Foshan ranked third and fourth, contributing 7.0% and 6.6% respectively within the top 10. Zhuhai and Huizhou followed, with shares of 4.1% and 3.6%. The Yangtze River Delta region dominated the out-of-province tourist sources. Shanghai firmly held the top spot, with Beijing, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu ranking second to fourth, accounting for 12.6%, 11.4%, and 10.6% of the top 10 sources respectively. Notably, Zhejiang and Jiangsu each rose one position compared to their 2024 rankings. Central Chinese regions also showed active participation. Although Hunan dropped two places to fifth, it still maintained a significant market share. The out-of-province source market thus displayed a characteristic of bidirectional concentration from both the Yangtze River Delta and central regions. The report further revealed that the age demographic of tourists in Guangdong's online travel market during the 2026 New Year period skewed young. The 25-34 age group was the largest, comprising 30.7%, followed by young travelers aged 18-24 at 19.2%, and the 35-49 middle-aged group at 29.8%. Combined, these three age groups constituted nearly 80% of the market, forming the primary consumer base. The report indicated that leisure travel dominated Guangdong's online tourism market during the 2026 New Year holiday, accounting for 78.9% of activity, while business travel made up 21.1%, reflecting typical holiday travel patterns. In terms of product types, accommodation products held an overwhelmingly dominant position, comprising 80.2% of the market. Other transportation products accounted for 11.8%, attraction tickets for 4.5%, and flight tickets for 3.2%. This breakdown shows that the core demand for travelers during the holiday was accommodation, supplemented by short-distance transportation and scenic spot visits. Specifically, Guangdong's hotel market performed exceptionally well. Room nights sold surged 173.5% compared to the 2024 New Year period, while spending on accommodations skyrocketed by 292.0%. The spending growth significantly outpacing the volume growth indicates a continuous climb in demand for high-quality lodging options, showcasing vibrant activity in the mid-to-high-end hotel market. Guangdong's popular tourist attractions presented a diversified landscape. During the holiday, bookings for attraction ticket products soared 412.2% year-on-year, with spending up 436.5%, representing a substantial market expansion. Among these, Guangzhou Chimelong Resort ranked first, accounting for 15.6% of ticket bookings and rising two places from its 2024 ranking. Turtle Bay, a newly emerged hotspot, jumped to second place with a 14.1% share. The Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King and Chikan · Guangdong Overseas Chinese International Tourism Resort followed in third and fourth places, having significantly risen in the rankings compared to 2024, indicating growing tourist favor for cultural museum and overseas Chinese heritage-themed tourism products. The report showed a new hierarchy in the popularity of hotel commercial districts during the New Year period in Guangdong. The area around Panyu Chimelong/Guangzhou South Station held the top spot, accounting for 16.9% of the top 10 districts. Haizhu Square/Beijing Road Pedestrian Street jumped from 5th place in 2024 to 2nd, with an 11.8% share. Gongbei Port/Fuhuali ranked third with 11.3%. Notably, the Pazhou Exhibition Center/Canton Tower/Kecun district saw a major rise to 4th place (up from 15th in 2024), capturing a 9.8% share. Zumiao/Lingnan Tiandi and Qinghui Garden Resort/Shunde Happy Coast PLUS also made significant leaps, climbing from 14th and 23rd places in 2024 to 9th and 10th, respectively. During the 2026 New Year holiday, Guangdong's vacation package market experienced explosive growth. Bookings for vacation packages surged 347.2% compared to the 2024 period, with spending increasing by 297.7%. The rapid expansion of the vacation package market signifies the continuous release of demand for high-quality, bundled travel products, establishing this segment as a crucial growth driver for tourism consumption in Guangdong. Guangdong's popular vacation itineraries during the holiday were predominantly group tours, which occupied 8 out of the top 10 routes. Short-distance tours to surrounding areas like Conghua, Jiangmen, and Chaozhou were particularly favored. Boosted by the National Games, theme-based sports tourism products such as the "2026 Shunde Ronggui Island Marathon" performed notably. Self-guided tour packages for the half-marathon and full-marathon routes accounted for 11.7% and 6.8% respectively, securing spots in the top 10, highlighting a clear trend of integrated sports and tourism development. Additionally, themed itineraries focusing on hot spring resorts, ancient city cultural tours, and forest parks were widely popular, reflecting diverse consumer demand for leisure, wellness, and cultural experiences.