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China’s Lunar New Year Travel Rush Kicks off Ahead of an Extra-Long Holiday

A toddler held by a woman looks at the prosperity decorations at a booth for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, at a New Year Bazaar, in Beijing, China, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
A toddler held by a woman looks at the prosperity decorations at a booth for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, at a New Year Bazaar, in Beijing, China, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
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China’s Lunar New Year Travel Rush Kicks off Ahead of an Extra-Long Holiday

A toddler held by a woman looks at the prosperity decorations at a booth for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, at a New Year Bazaar, in Beijing, China, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
A toddler held by a woman looks at the prosperity decorations at a booth for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, at a New Year Bazaar, in Beijing, China, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)

China's annual Spring Festival travel rush, a 40-day period commonly referred to as the world's largest annual human migration, kicked off on Monday ahead of ​an extended Lunar New Year holiday.

This year's Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, falls on February 17 and will be accompanied by an extra-long nine-day public holiday in China, running from February 15 to 23.

It's hoped a longer holiday (last year's break was eight days long) might prompt Chinese consumers to boost consumption by ‌spending more on ‌travel, meals and more this festival ‌period.

Many ⁠Chinese ​consumers ‌have been shaken by the country's uncertain economic outlook and would rather save than spend. Homeowners have seen their assets depreciate in a years-long property market slump, while weaker growth momentum since the pandemic has added to job insecurity.

This said, a state planning official said last week that China expects a record 9.5 billion passenger trips ⁠to be made during the travel period, surpassing the 9.02 billion trips made last year.

"Why ‌do I feel it's even more ‍stressful to buy tickets ‍this year compared to last year? For example, the flight back ‍to my home is already sold out," said 32-year-old Liu, a traveler flying out of Guangzhou airport on Monday. "If you don't buy early, the price range fluctuates a lot, and can even double."

Major travel platforms ​reported Lunar New Year bookings for 2026 already surpassing last year's levels. According to data from Flight Master, as ⁠of mid-January, bookings for domestic flights during the holiday exceeded 4.13 million, up about 21 percent year-on-year.

Popular outbound destinations are concentrated in Southeast Asia, with those flights accounting for nearly 50% of the total and Thailand among the leading destinations.

Following a geo-political spat between China and Japan late last year, routes to Japan have dropped sharply, down over 40%, according to Flight Master.

Domestically, culturally rich "intangible heritage towns", such as such as Huangshan in Anhui, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, Quanzhou in Fujian, Foshan in Guangdong and Zigong in Sichuan have emerged ‌as popular destinations, according to data from online travel agency Qunar.

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Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
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Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA
Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission completed the first season of its joint scientific mission with the University of Exeter at the ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat site, uncovering more than 1,700 artifacts, including pottery, glass, stone pieces, shells, and worked objects, confirming the site's significance along the Egyptian pilgrimage route.

Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel believed to have served pilgrims and travelers, and 13 tombstones dating to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. Some finds originated from the Levant, Egypt, and Ethiopia, reflecting the diverse origins of pilgrims who passed through this miqat, SPA reported.

Al-Juhfah Miqat is located 187 kilometers northwest of Makkah and has been an established miqat since the early Islamic period, associated with the Prophet's migration, and is known to have flourished in the second Hijri century, with water facilities and shops serving pilgrims.

These works are part of the Heritage Commission's efforts to survey and document archaeological sites along the Hijrah route between Makkah and Madinah, using advanced technologies to reveal the historical and civilizational depth of the Kingdom.

Culture

Makkah Museum Displays Rare Quran Manuscript Dating Back to 1843

The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA
The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA
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Makkah Museum Displays Rare Quran Manuscript Dating Back to 1843

The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA
The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA

The Holy Quran Museum in the Hira Cultural District in Makkah showcases a collection of rare Quranic artifacts and collectibles that document Muslims’ care for the Holy Quran throughout the ages. Among the most notable exhibits is a rare Quran dating back to 1259 AH, corresponding to 1843 AD, which stands as a historical testament to the beauty of Quranic manuscript writing and ornamentation.

The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks. Its pages are adorned with gilded borders, golden verse separators, and intricate floral decorations that highlight the advanced craftsmanship achieved in the gilding and embellishment of Quran manuscripts during that historical period, SPA reported.

Information accompanying the artifact indicates that the Quran later underwent restoration and rebinding to protect it from deterioration. This step helped preserve this rare Quranic treasure and maintain it as a witness to a cultural and civilizational legacy spanning more than a century and a half.

The display of this Quran is part of the educational and cultural content presented by the Holy Quran Museum, which enables visitors and pilgrims to explore diverse examples of historical Qurans and rare manuscripts and to learn about the various stages of writing, copying, and decorating Quranic manuscripts across different Islamic eras.

The museum serves as a prominent cultural and educational destination in Makkah, highlighting the historical efforts of Muslims in serving and preserving the Holy Quran. It also promotes awareness of the value of Islamic heritage associated with the Holy Quran through modern museum displays and interactive educational experiences that enrich visitors’ experiences and enhance their connection with the history of the Holy Quran.

Culture

Nigerian Museum Revamp Brings Treasures within Reach

Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
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Nigerian Museum Revamp Brings Treasures within Reach

Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP
Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

Gazing at two large engraved 16th-century elephant tusks on display at Nigeria's National Museum Lagos, a guide surprised visitors by telling them: "You can touch them gently".

One of the three galleries at the museum in Nigeria's cultural and entertainment hub has been remodeled to allow visitors to interact with some artefacts, reversing the typical ban on touching exhibits, as well as take unrestricted photographs in an effort to engage younger audiences, curator Nkechi Adedeji told AFP.

As the group felt the texture of the elephant tusks to the tune of Afrobeats softly playing on overhead speakers, a young photographer was busy snapping away, likely for a social media post.

According to Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, the plan was to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an "intentional" and "immersive" environment.

"Everything was intentional in terms of how the space should be experienced, in terms of the colors, how the space leads you," Odunfa told AFP.

The gallery holds one of the country's most extensive collections, including major archaeological and ethnographic artefacts such as 5th-century terracotta by indigenous Nok people.

Its white walls are lined with artefacts encased in glass, arranged chronologically from the oldest to the newest, each accompanied by brief notes.

A few other items of the permanent exhibition, "Echoes of the Past", especially those made of wood and metal, are laid out in such a way that visitors can touch and "feel them", the museum's head of exhibition Olusegun Adeleye, 51, said.

Low ambient lighting casts a soft glow across the gallery, giving the space a quiet, reflective atmosphere.

Lagos, the vibrant mega city of more than 20 million people, and often described as Nigeria's melting pot, inspired Odunfa's design.

- 'Coming in droves' -

Since the renovated gallery opened to the public in April, it has been drawing more visitors than before, Adedeji said, without giving figures.

Its Instagram-ready spaces are drawing more schoolchildren and young adults, with pictures and videos increasingly shared online, making it a popular destination among "content creators".

"They come here, do content and before you know it, it is all over the place," Adedeji said. "Youths are coming in droves now".

"I love the way the artefacts are displayed," Oyin Isioye, a 25-year-old photographer, visiting the museum for the first time, told AFP. "I learned a lot of things... where the artefacts are from, what they represent."

- Repatriation calls -

In one corner of the gallery, three empty cases contain a sheet of paper bearing the inscription "British museum, how far??" (meaning "what's up?" in Nigerian Pidgin).

The installation sends a message to foreign museums that Nigeria is ready to pursue the repatriation of its looted artefacts.

Western museums, including those in Britain, the Netherlands and Germany, have in recent years returned several hundred artefacts, but countless more remain in galleries in Europe and America.

"This renovation shows that we can protect and preserve our objects ourselves, we do not need any other country to do it for us," said Adedeji.

The remodeling, funded by a private entity, also aimed at creating more display areas for the collection, the bulk of which are kept in storage.

More projects are in the works. Another gallery at the Lagos museum has been shut for renovation, along with other sites nationwide.

And Nigerian authorities are seeking partners to support future upgrades in preparation for more repatriated artefacts.