After introducing “Spring and Autumn Holidays” last November, several regions in China have now implemented their first-ever “snow holidays” for primary and secondary school students — a move that is already showing positive economic impacts.
The Altay administrative office in Xinjiang announced its first snow holiday from December 1–5, allowing 73,000 students in compulsory education to enjoy the break. Earlier, Urumqi introduced a nine-day snow holiday from November 29 to December 7. Students in Jilin Province also began a five-day holiday on December 3.
Tourism indicators show a strong response. According to data from a major travel agency, ticket bookings at Xinjiang’s scenic attractions rose 16 percent during the holiday period. Popular destinations included Sayram Lake, Hemu Scenic Area, Kanas Scenic Area, Tianshan Tianchi International Ski Resort, and Xiangchunshan International Ski Resort.
In Jilin, bookings on online platforms between December 3 and 7 increased 13 percent year-on-year and 26 percent week-on-week following the extended holiday announcement. Scenic sites across Xinjiang and Jilin also introduced special promotional programs to attract families.
Altay students enjoyed free ski passes at four major resorts by presenting valid identification and received half-price ski rentals, a 15 percent discount on meals, and 20 percent off instructor fees. Local hotels—including Jiangcu Mountain Resort, Keketuohai Fanghua Story Hotel, Fanghua Keke Hotel, and Chikepulin Hemu Sanpai Hotel—offered 20 percent discounts for students, while some Altay hotels provided special room rates of 220 yuan. Public buses in Altay were free for students throughout the holiday.
In Jilin, 171 scenic spots and 39 ice-and-snow rinks offered free entry during the holiday. Students could register at designated facilities using valid ID and enjoy three hours of free winter sports. All A-level tourist attractions open during winter also provided free access. Accompanying parents received a 30 percent discount on snow-activity and entry tickets by scanning a QR code at offline counters.
The snow holidays have also increased outbound travel. A leading online booking platform reported that, from the announcement of Jilin’s winter break to December 1, outbound flight bookings from Changchun rose 57 percent week-on-week. The top ten destinations included Shanghai, Sanya, Guangzhou, Changsha, Nanjing, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.
In Xinjiang’s Urumqi and Altay, flight bookings increased 45 percent month-on-month. Warm southern cities were especially popular. Urumqi’s top destinations during the holiday included Sanya, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Haikou, Xi’an, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, and Hangzhou. Bookings for flights from Urumqi to Sanya, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Xishuangbanna more than doubled from last year. Travelers from Altay mainly flew to Chengdu, Yining, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Chongqing, Changsha, and Wuhan.
Source: China Media Group