Xiamen launches May Day travel initiatives

Details regarding Xiamen's 2026 May Day holiday benefit-and-leisure travel program were released on April 28th. For the holiday, Xiamen has not only carefully prepared a diverse range of cultural and tourism activities but also rolled out various initiatives benefiting the public, welcoming visitors from all over the world with open arms.

During the May Day holiday, Xiamen will host a series of cultural activities in key tourist areas, including boutique theatrical performances, concerts, street culture shows, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) markets, and art exhibitions.

Twelve high-quality performances will be accessible to the public free of charge. That includes local ICH opera forms such as Nanyin, Gezai Opera, and Gaojia Opera, as well as other types of opera and symphony concerts.

To address parking difficulties during the holiday, Xiamen will offer free parking. A total of 24,000 on-street parking spaces across the city will be open to the public free of charge all day. Several bus depots will also offer shared parking to the public. In addition, 21 "park and ride" (P+R) parking lots, providing 5,334 parking spaces, have been set up across the city for free use by commuters transferring to the metro.

Xiamen will also launch 21 tourist bus routes, connecting two railway stations, four ferry terminals, and major scenic spots both on and off the island. In addition, visitors can purchase bus packages, including one-day passes and May Day holiday passes, which allow unlimited travel on regular and tourist buses throughout the city during the validity period.

In response to the expected surge in tourists during the holiday, Xiamen University's Siming Campus has relaxed its visitation restrictions by increasing the daily visitor quota to 15,000, anticipating high demand for campus tours.

In response to travel demand for Gulangyu Island, Xiamen has taken several measures to ensure smooth access for visitors, including additional ferry services, increased departure frequencies, and higher ticket availability during peak hours.

Tourists staying overnight on Gulangyu Island during the holiday will enjoy exclusive island-entry benefits. Upon their first arrival, they can choose their preferred landing terminal — Dongdu Passenger Terminal, First Wharf, or Songyu Passenger Terminal — and purchase tickets for standard tourist ferry routes to the island.

Source: Xiamen Foreign Affairs