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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING/SHANGHAI, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) — China set a new domestic tourism record during the recent eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, with nearly 888 million tourist trips, 123 million more than the seven-day National Day holiday in 2024.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending reached 809 billion yuan (about $113.8 billion), up 108 billion yuan year-on-year, according to the latest data from China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Extended holidays combined with flexible vacation plans allowed travelers to extend their itineraries. The average trip radius increased by 14.8 percent to approximately 213 km, while the average sightseeing radius in specific destinations expanded by 24.5 percent to 23 km, according to the China Tourism Academy.
Data from leading Chinese online travel platforms including Trip.com and Fliggy show that this year's holiday period, which ended on Wednesday, saw the share of domestic long-term tour bookings rise 3 percentage points year-on-year, with Chinese tourists traveling overseas visiting more than 180 countries and regions.
A total of 16.34 million cross-border trips were recorded in China during the holidays, the National Administration of Migration Affairs (SAM) reported on Thursday.
Both urban and rural residents enthusiastically embraced the festive atmosphere. Around 22 percent of rural residents nationwide traveled, making 102 million trips—11.5 percent of all domestic holiday travel. More than 40 percent of travelers abandoned popular cities and chose quieter, more peaceful destinations, the academy reported.
Another leading Chinese travel agent, Tongcheng Travel, reported that the number of hotel bookings in more than 30 cities and counties in China on their platform has doubled compared to last year.
Holiday travel has become a common leisure option for rural residents, and young people from small towns have become a new driving force in the tourism market, noted Dai Bing, head of the China Tourism Academy.
According to him, destinations and the market continue to decentralize, and previously unknown places, especially cities with local flavor, cultural charm, and technological appeal, are gaining popularity among tourists.
During the holidays, cultural and tourism consumption is increasingly focused on cultural experiences and emotional value. In addition to visiting famous landmarks, Chinese and foreign tourists actively participated in cultural events featuring intangible cultural heritage, hanfu (traditional Chinese costume), and tea ceremonies.
The trend of combining local tourism with cultural heritage has become a hot topic online. More and more tourists are now opting for themed tours; Meituan Travel data shows that searches for "night tours" during the holiday season increased by 386.5% year-on-year.
Several museums in Shanghai have extended their opening hours at night, digital tour guides have been launched at the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, Northwest China, and popular sites like West Lake in Hangzhou, East China, have implemented attendance prediction and smart booking systems to improve visitor flow.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, more than 29,000 cultural and tourism events were organized across the country during the holiday period, and vouchers worth a total of 480 million yuan were issued.
“Tourists’ choice of destinations reflects their interests and how they identify with the local lifestyle,” said Hu Yan, vice president of Chinese vacation rental booking platform Tujia.
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