The Lunar New Year is huge in China. Hundreds of millions of people return to their hometowns for it. This year is no exception. Airports and railway stations are packed with travellers making their annual trek. This year is the Year of the Snake in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. The festivities begin on the 29th of January. There are seven national holidays. Overseas travel is particularly popular this year. A travel agency said "bookings for outbound flights and holiday packages on its platform had doubled from last year". The most popular destinations are in Asia.
China's New Year sees the world's biggest annual movement of people. With the advent of high-speed transport, the number of people on the move has skyrocketed. Xinhua said journeys are expected to "hit record highs" this year. The first New Year holiday began in China some 3,500 years ago. Back then, far fewer people would have left their hometowns. However, with the rapid growth of China's economy, billions of people have relocated to greener pastures. The subsequent annual exodus has been a boon for the economy. Many sectors see an uplift in profits.
Try the same news story at these levels:
Year of the Snake - Level 4 or Year of the Snake - Level 6
Sources- https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-readies-lunar-new-year-amid-worries-about-economy-2025-01-24/
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/lifestyle/chinas-lunar-travel-rush-kicks-103144154.html
- https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2025/01/23/lunar-new-year-chinese-2025-year-of-the-snake.html
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