China’s Mega Holiday: Record Travel but Tighter Wallets

China’s 8-day National Day and Mid-Autumn holiday (Sep 29-Oct 6, 2025) saw record-breaking travel activity, with 2.43 billion cross-region trips (avg. 304M daily), per transport ministry data. Domestic tourism hit 888M trips , generating $111.4B (¥809B) in spending—$12.54 (¥113.88) per person daily , down from 2024’s $14.39 (¥130.87), reflecting a “more trips, lower spend” trend.

Key Highlights

1. Longer Journeys, Global & Local

• Rail/air travel rose 2.6%/3.4% ; highway trips topped 2.25B , up 6.5%.
• Long-haul flights (3,200+ km) surged 14%, with Xinjiang as a top route.
• Cross-border trips hit 16.3M , up 11.5%; visa-free entries jumped 46.8%. Europe (Iceland, Norway) and niche destinations (Saudi Arabia, Egypt) saw doubled demand.
• Small-town tourism boomed : Bookings in 2,000+ counties spiked, with 90% growth for non-tier-1 luxury hotels.

2. Experiences Over Shopping

• Movie ticket sales fell 13% to $2.5B (¥18.35B) , but film-themed tours grew (e.g., The Volunteers filming locations +50% visitors).
• Concerts/sports drove tourism :
  • Tier 3-5 city shows rose 34%; music festival attendance +66.6%.
  • Beijing’s China Open tennis boosted hotel bookings by 116%.

3. Service Spending Outpaces Goods

• Service sector revenue grew 7.6% vs. goods’ 3.9%, signaling a shift toward experiences.
• Local incentives : Over 29,000 cultural events and $66M (¥480M) in vouchers were issued nationwide.

Why It Matters:

China’s travelers are prioritizing value and unique experiences , fueling niche and international trips despite tighter budgets.