BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. It is a traditional Chinese festival for people to pay tribute to the dead and worship their ancestors. The holiday also provides a short break for people as they engage in outdoor activities and sightseeing.

According to the national railway operator, this year's Qingming Festival holiday features strong demand for travel related to visiting relatives, ancestor worship, spring outings and tourism, with the passenger flow witnessing a large proportion of medium and short-distance trips, and a significant increase in tourism-related travel.

Across China, primary and secondary schools in several regions have introduced a new spring break, often timed around the three-day Qingming Festival in early April or the five-day May Day holiday, allowing more children to combine time off into six to eight-day vacations. Students in several regions of China are enjoying a spring break combined with the Qingming Festival. For many parents, the extended holiday offers an opportunity to spend more time with their children, with family trips among the top plans during this period.