Guangzhou's major scenic spots, such as Baiyun Mountain and Canton Tower, were teeming with visitors, large shopping malls drew huge crowds, the film market remained robust, and New Year-themed exhibitions and performances were staged one after another. Over the 2026 New Year's Day holiday, Guangzhou showcased a vibrant picture of culture and tourism consumption fueled by strong visitor enthusiasm.

During this New Year's Day holiday, star concerts by performers such as G.E.M. and Silence Wang attracted tens of thousands of spectators, significantly boosting surrounding catering and accommodation consumption. Guangzhou Chimelong Paradise launched a "winter carnival" featuring romantic artificial snowfall and spectacular fireworks lighting up the night sky, while international artists joined tens of thousands of visitors in the New Year's Eve countdown celebration. The Haixinsha INNO Carnival made a grand debut, featuring more than a dozen large entertainment equipment and nearly a hundred skill-based game devices open all day long. The Carnival also brought together 100 food brands and 50 international pop-up stores. Data shows that on December 31st, 2025, the total passenger trips across the Guangzhou Metro network reached 14.093 million, setting a new single-day record. Meanwhile, Guangdong Intercity deployed 45 EMU trainsets on the same day, carrying 253,600 passenger trips. This reflects the strong travel demand over the New Year's Day holiday.

The integration of intangible cultural heritage into festive celebrations and the blending of tradition with modernity have offered citizens and visitors more immersive and interactive experiences. For example, the Lingnan Impression Park staged a female Lingnan lion dance performance. In addition, its traditional datiehua (molten iron fireworks) show and the"Lingnan Lantern Festival"with thousands of colorful lanterns delivered a double visual feast for visitors.

At the start of the new year, Guangdong has stepped up efforts to promote culture and tourism consumption subsidy initiatives, issuing 20 million yuan worth of culture and tourism consumption vouchers to both domestic and overseas visitors as well as local residents.

Source:PEARL
Editor: Lyu Yun