Harbin Taiping International Airport experienced a spike in passenger numbers due to the Spring Festival holidays which concluded on Feb 10.

Harbin, in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, is recognized as one of the most popular travel destinations in China during the holidays.

Tourism has been one of the important factors driving the development of Harbin’s airport.

Statistics released by Heilongjiang Airport Group reveal that Harbin Taiping International Airport handled 2,951 flights and 443,000 passengers over the seven-day period.

Staff members at the airport said that incoming flights from domestic cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Xi’an; as well as international cities including Bangkok and Krabi in Thailand, Singapore, and Nha Trang in Vietnam were extremely busy, with most bringing tourists heading to Harbin to enjoy the splendid ice and snow scenery, in addition to the winter activities happening over the holiday.

Returning passenger flow at the airport significantly increased on Feb 8 and peaked on Feb 9, with 65,000 passengers and 68,000 passengers respectively on those days.

The returning passenger flow is continuing and is estimated to last until Feb 17. Tickets to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Kunming, Hangzhou, Yantai, Qingdao, and Jinan are still in large demand and need to be booked in advance.

To cope with the large number of passengers, airlines like Air China, Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Juneyao Airlines have added large planes to serve Harbin Taiping International Airport.