During the Spring Festival, or China's Lunar New Year, northern residents traveled southwards to enjoy the sunshine, while the southern residents went northwards for skiing and skating. Some even chose the warm or icy nations with their families.

According to China National Tourism Administration, the number of migrant travelers from north or south were distinctive, with northern cities such as Harbin and Changchun, as well as southern cities such as Hainan and Yunnan gaining popularity.

Normally the number of visitors dropped on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year in the past. During this New Year festival holiday, however, the travelers continued to rise in the warm or icy provinces in China. Visitors to the skiing resort in Jilin grew 15 percent year-on-year, and the Hainan seashore saw a 93 percent rise.

In the meantime, more and more Chinese people crossed the border to enjoy the traditional New Year's holiday in north Asian, Africa and Oceania.

The Republic of Korea, Australia, South Africa, Maldives and Sri Lanka all saw the increasing number of Chinese travelers during the holiday due to their attractive sunshine in the cold winter.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2006)