During the Spring Festival, Shantou's culture and tourism market enjoyed remarkable growth with immense popularity. According to big data estimates, Shantou received over one million tourists for three consecutive days from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the second day of the Lunar New Year, with 1.6418 million tourists on February 18 alone, a year-on-year increase of 24.22%. Crowded scenic areas, bustling folk event venues, and food streets filled with the aroma of cooking made Shantou a must-visit TikTok-worthy place during the Spring Festival, highlighting tourists' strong interest in exploring the city's local culture.

Shantou's culture and tourism sector not only saw an explosive growth in group tours but also attracted tourists from many countries to immersively experience the unique “Chaoshan Festivities” during the Spring Festival. Benefiting from the 30-day visa-free policy, many foreign tourists formed high-quality small groups for in-depth tours of Shantou, where they hand-pounded beef balls, learned the Yingge Dance, and experienced the charm of Chaoshan culture. Data from travel platforms shows that during the 2026 Spring Festival, the Chaoshan region saw a year-on-year increase of over 100% in tourists from Malaysia and South Korea, while orders for intangible cultural heritage experience routes grew by over 220%.

Source:Shantou Daily, Feb 25, 2026

“潮汕年味”新春盛宴迎八方宾客

　　春节期间，汕头文旅市场强势破圈、热度拉满。据大数据测算，除夕至初二连续三天全市接待游客超百万人次，其中2月18日接待游客164.18万人次，同比增长24.22%。人头攒动的景区、热闹非凡的民俗现场、烟火氤氲的美食街，让汕头成为春节热门打卡地，彰显出游客对汕头本土文化的浓厚探索兴趣。

　　汕头的文旅不仅迎来团队游爆发式增长，更吸引多国游客沉浸式体验潮汕年。受益于30天免签政策，不少外国游客组成精品小团前来深度游汕，他们亲手捶牛肉丸、学跳英歌舞，感受潮汕文化魅力。旅游平台数据显示，潮汕地区2026年春节接待马来西亚、韩国游客同比超100%，非遗体验路线订单量增长超220%。

来源：汕头日报 2026-2-25