Chinese New Year: Shifting Reunions & Reverse Migration Trends

A growing number of Chinese citizens are opting for “reverse reunions” this Chinese New Year, traveling to cities where their children work instead of the traditional journey home to rural areas. This shift comes as the holiday expands to a nine-day period, the longest in decades.

Reverse Reunion Travel on the Rise

Millions traditionally travel across China during the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, to return to their hometowns for reunion dinner with family. However, this year, experts note an increasing trend of parents traveling to the cities where their children live and work.

Bookings for flights and travel routes for these “reverse reunions” have climbed approximately 35 percent year on year since January, according to data released by Meituan Travel.

Zhou Songlin and his son, Joe, a 42-year-old public relations consultant, are among those reshaping the tradition. They are spending the holiday in Guangzhou, where Joe is based, rather than in their hometown of Changsha in Hunan province.

For Joe Zhou, inviting his father to stay with him was a practical decision, influenced by work commitments, Guangzhou’s milder weather, and his recent move to a new home. His father also found traveling to Guangzhou to be “convenient, safe, comfortable and simple.”

The pair are maintaining their usual festive routine of staying home, cooking simple meals, and sharing sweet desserts.