Other major tourist cities, including Xi'an, Sanya, Harbin, and Chongqing, all logged a robust recovery over the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, with tourists thronging to popular tourist destinations and restaurants.

"I waited 40 minutes for a roujiamo," said a tourist in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Roujiamo, also called a Chinese hamburger, is a signature street food in Xi'an, an ancient city home to the Terra Cotta Warriors.

In addition to iconic tourist attractions, short-tour rural trips in the suburban areas also saw a big bounce in tourism.

Beijing's rural areas received over 1.34 million visits, an increase of 54.4 percent year on year and a growth of 22 percent over 2019. Total operating income from these trips was 162.9 million yuan, up 18 percent year on year and 51 percent over the level in 2019.

"I was thinking of a different way to celebrate the Chinese New Year, so I came here with my family, climbing the Mutianyu Great Wall and experiencing traditional customs such as paper-cutting and lion dance. The hustle and bustle of country life takes me back to my childhood," said a tourist surnamed Wang.