Long accepted as a time of family reunions and arduous journeys back home, Spring Festival now is open to other choices. During the weeklong holiday that ended on Thursday, Chinese tourists made 6.15 million trips to overseas destinations - an increase of 7 percent year-on-year. Within the country, they made more than 344 million trips, up 13.8 percent year-on-year.

While many still strive to travel back home during the Spring Festival holiday, more and more Chinese have developed an appetite for exotic cultures and outbound trips.

Some travel south to warm beaches or north to ski resorts, while others choose to invite their parents to where they work and show them around. Both choices are rapidly gaining popularity, bringing yet more changes to Spring Festival traditions.