Moviegoers look at a poster for Avatar: Fire and Ash at a cinema in Nanhu district, Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, Jan 2, 2026. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang's consumer market recorded a strong start during the New Year holiday, with spending rising across catering, retail, accommodation and entertainment sectors, according to data released by the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province on Jan 4.

Monitoring data showed robust growth in catering consumption. Sales revenue at 43 large catering enterprises under key monitoring increased 13.5 percent year on year during the holiday period. Market activity peaked on New Year's Day, when 440 key commercial enterprises generated sales of 1.17 billion yuan ($160 million), up 5.6 percent from a year earlier.

Dining demand continued to gain momentum, driven mainly by year-end gatherings and family and friend banquets. More than 3,000 catering merchants across the province reported year-on-year increases of 18 percent in turnover and 26 percent in customer visits. Data from Meituan showed that tourist spending on dining in Zhejiang rose by more than 75 percent compared with the same period last year.

Accommodation demand also remained strong. According to data from Ctrip, bookings for accommodation products across the province increased 32.7 percent during the holiday. Hotel districts in cities including Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Huzhou saw particularly active bookings.

Cultural and entertainment activities further boosted consumption. Provincial box office revenue during the holiday rose 46.7 percent year on year, reflecting strong demand for film and leisure activities at the start of the year.