China’s Lunar New Year Travel Rush Sets Record 9.5 Billion Trips
China’s annual Lunar New Year travel rush is underway, with a record 9.5 billion trips expected as millions endure long journeys home for the Spring Festival.
Disneyfication is a cultural and urban phenomenon where authentic locations, traditions, or cultural elements are reshaped to appeal to mass tourism in a way that resembles a theme park experience. The term originates from the influence of Disney theme parks, where environments are carefully curated, idealized, and commercialized. In tourism, Disneyfication often means stripping away complexity, controversy, or cultural depth and replacing it with easily digestible, aesthetically pleasing, and marketable versions.
Examples include historic districts turned into commercial zones with souvenir shops, cultural performances adapted for tourists rather than local communities, or cities that redesign spaces to mimic idealized versions of themselves. While Disneyfication can boost tourism and local economies, critics argue it erodes cultural authenticity, homogenizes experiences, and prioritizes spectacle over substance.
China’s annual Lunar New Year travel rush is underway, with a record 9.5 billion trips expected as millions endure long journeys home for the Spring Festival.
A new international airport under construction near Machu Picchu could transform travel to Peru’s Sacred Valley, bringing economic growth alongside environmental and cultural concerns.
Japan’s battle with overtourism has reached a new turning point as Fujiyoshida cancels its famous Mount Fuji cherry blossom festival amid mounting pressure from record visitor numbers.
Rome has introduced a €2 entry fee for visitors approaching the Trevi Fountain during peak hours, aiming to reduce crowds and fund preservation of one of the city’s most visited landmarks.
Amsterdam is weighing a future without ocean cruise ships, with city officials exploring a potential ban by 2035 amid sustainability concerns and growing pressure to curb overtourism.
A new UN Tourism report highlights the world’s fastest-growing destinations in 2025, with strong rebounds across Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe.
Japan welcomed a record number of international visitors in 2025, even as arrivals from China fell sharply late in the year amid rising diplomatic tensions.
Rome will begin charging tourists a small fee to access the Trevi Fountain’s inner viewing area in 2026, aiming to reduce crowding and protect one of the city’s most visited landmarks.
Spain has imposed a €65 million fine on Airbnb for advertising tens of thousands of unlicensed tourist rentals, signaling a tougher stance on short-term rentals amid a growing housing crisis.
Japan is set to raise visa charges, departure levies and tax-free shopping rules in 2026 as travel demand surges and authorities shift toward sustainable tourism.