Xiamen's vibrant consumption scene set the stage for high-quality development in its consumer market during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday.

New consumer experiences drive market trends

A joint exhibition by Joy City and Dunhuang Museum for the Year of the Horse. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

As a national pilot city for new consumer formats and models, Xiamen saw its Spring Festival market shaped by trends like first-store openings, tech-driven retail, and green consumption. The debut economy stayed particularly strong from light luxury and lifestyle brands to trendy dining. 

Trade-in programs boost consumption vitality

Leveraging Spring Festival marking the advent of the Year of the Horse, the trade-in policy sparked a consumption boom in sectors such as automobiles and home appliances. At Tesla experience stores in Xiamen's popular shopping districts, Chinese New Year promotions like the "million red envelope" campaign were in full swing. 

Xiamen named top five foodie getaway

Data shows that during Spring Festival, searches for "Bib Gourmand" restaurants surged by 60 percent compared to pre-holiday levels, propelling Xiamen into the top five domestic "culinary tourism" destinations. This trend led to a boom in local dining, with many restaurants proving hard to book across all categories — from Fujian cuisine and seafood to Western food and local snacks.

Meanwhile, Xiamen has launched a Spring Festival coffee map, featuring 50 carefully selected boutique cafes, and 11 themed coffee citywalk districts. Several of the city's Michelin- and Black Pearl-listed restaurants have unveiled special Spring Festival menus infused with local Minnan culinary traditions.

Cutting-edge tech boosts consumer experience

Robots perform on Zhongshan Road. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

During the Spring Festival holiday, Xiamen's major commercial districts and consumer venues were fully immersed in a "robot density" atmosphere, with tech-infused experiences emerging as a new highlight of the festive spending spree. At the Galaxy Robot Space Capsule on Zhongshan Road, a convenience store operated by the Spring Festival Gala-featured robot Galbot made its debut. Meanwhile, in Shapowei, robotic dogs performed agile movements while humanoid robots worked as promoters.

Easy tax refunds for international shoppers

During Spring Festival, according to Qunar, Xiamen ranked sixth among the 10 most popular inbound destinations. The city has continuously upgraded its shopping customs clearance and departure tax refund services, enhancing the convenience of international consumption.  

There are 151 departure tax refund stores and 69 "instant tax refund" stores across the city, covering core business districts and popular streets. This allows overseas visitors to conveniently handle tax refunds and enjoy mutually recognized customs clearance.