SHANGHAI -- The Chinese splurged this Spring Festival with the number of UnionPay overseas transactions rising nearly 40 percent year on year, the operator revealed Friday.

The total volume of transactions at home and abroad through China UnionPay cards was 462 billion yuan ($67.2 billion) during the seven-day holiday from Jan 27 to Feb 2.

The number of overseas transactions surged mostly in Asia, Europe and North America, the most popular travel destinations for Chinese people.

As Chinese tourist numbers grow, more foreign hotels, restaurants and stores have started to take UnionPay cards.

China UnionPay is responsible for all bank card transactions on the Chinese mainland and has extended its reach to 150 countries and regions.