Guangzhou's Pearl River cruises set a new single-day passenger record during the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday, with over 45,000 tourists taking boat tours on February 20 alone.
From February 15 to 20, the cruises served more than 200,000 passengers, an increase of 8.34 percent compared to the same period last year. The Guangzhou Port Authority stated that these figures reflected strong demand for the city's waterfront tourism.
The authority coordinated 37 cruise ships for the holiday period to meet capacity needs. Ten new high-quality, fully electric vessels were put into service, and the Huangsha Pier was upgraded and reopened.
Operators introduced themed services and events. The Guangzhou Passenger Ship Company launched a "floating flower market," special Chinese New Year's Eve dinner cruises, and a series of holiday activities. Other companies offered tours designed for viewing fireworks displays over Bai'etan, with tickets selling out in advance. On the night of the main fireworks show, 14 designated cruise ships were positioned on the river, providing views for about 4,500 passengers.
In addition to commercial services, some companies organized charitable events. On Chinese New Year's Eve, one operator hosted a river dinner for delivery men and other essential workers who remained in the city during the holiday.
The port authority reported that comprehensive safety checks, staff training, and crowd management plans were implemented for the holiday period. Passengers were required to present ID for security checks, and overloaded vessels were prohibited.
Wan Xinzhou, deputy director of the Guangzhou Municipal Port Authority, stated that the record passenger numbers marked a strong start for the year for the city's water tourism. The authority plans to continue promoting the integration of transport and tourism along the Pearl River, encouraging the development of more themed products.
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