During the 2026 New Year holiday (January 1 to 3), Beijing saw 8.808 million arrivals of tourists and gained tourism revenue of 10.97 billion yuan. The city also rolled out a rich array of cultural and tourism activities, with over 1,400 sessions of events of three key themes: "New Year Countdown", "New Year Concerts", and "Winter-Themed Travel", effectively boosting the vibrancy of the holiday market.

On New Year's Eve, Beijing hosted a "Bell Rings, Drums Roll–Beijing Begins 2026" New Year Countdown Event at Dazhongsi Ancient Bell Museum and the Juyongguan Great Wall. The entire event was broadcast live on BJTV's channels, several major online platforms, and large outdoor screens across the city, garnering over 200 million views. Mayors from London, Athens, Amsterdam and other cities sent their New Year greetings via videos, turning Beijing's celebration into a cultural bridge connecting various parts of the world.

Major attractions and commercial districts across the city, such as Huaxi LIVE Wukesong, Shougang Park, Wanli, SOLANA, Livat Beijing, Beijing WTown, Wanping Fortress, the Beijing Exhibition Center, Longfu Temple, and 798 Art District, jointly organized various distinctive and creative events for the new year. Locals and tourists were treated to cultural exhibitions including trendy art exhibitions, dynamic fashion shows, China-chic markets, and fish lantern parades, enjoying a festive atmosphere that was full of ceremonious elements and interactions.

During the holiday, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism selected more than 70 key events and released a cultural tourism map for the holiday, providing everyone with a clear and comprehensive guide to the events that were on offer during the holiday. Additionally, 30 themed travel routes were introduced, covering warm trips, winter sports experiences, and New Year celebrations in rural areas. The 10 most visited destinations in Beijing were Wangfujing Street, the Beijing Olympic Park, Xidan, the Liangma River, Tian'anmen Square and its surrounding area, Qianmen Street, Nanluoguxiang (South Luogu Lane), Shichahai Scenic Area, the Temple of Heaven Park, and Shougang Park.

The performance sector in Beijing remained active during the New Year holiday. A total of 275 performing art programs were presented 839 times, attracting over 200,000 views and even raking in more than 76 million yuan at the box office. World-renowned art troupes from overseas, including the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra, and the One Voice Children's Choir from the United States, brought New Year's tunes to audiences.

The parks citywide also launched 85 eco-cultural events, including those featuring traditional folk customs, ice and snow carnivals, and New Year's Eve celebrations. The parks recorded 3.3499 million visits, indicating a year-on-year increase of 38.91 percent. The top three most visited parks were the Temple of Heaven Park (330,400 visits), the Summer Palace (235,500 visits), and Taoranting Park (103,200 visits).

(Source: Beijing Daily App)