China braces for a significant travel surge during the upcoming 'Golden Week', offering a potential economic uplift.
China Braces for Bumper Travel Rush During Golden Week Holiday
China's most significant travel period of the year, the 'Golden Week' holiday, is fast approaching, beginning on October 1. This eight-day public holiday is one of the busiest travel periods in the country, with strong demand for both domestic and international trips.
Tickets for the first day of the travel period went on sale on Monday, and early indications suggest a surge in bookings. According to online travel agency Tongcheng, ticket prices for domestic flights remain on par with last year's levels. This is a positive sign for travellers looking to take advantage of the holiday without breaking the bank.
In early September, searches for domestic flights were up 30% year on year, indicating a high level of interest in travel during the Golden Week holiday. This trend is reflected in the booking data, with travel platform Fliggy reporting year-on-year increases in bookings for flights, trains, and car rentals.
Car rental bookings for multi-destination trips were up 93% compared with the same period last year, as reported by Fliggy. The most popular travel destinations for car rentals during the upcoming Golden Week holiday are typically major domestic tourist cities and scenic areas like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and popular places such as Hainan Island, Zhangjiajie, and Guilin. The flexibility offered by car rentals makes them an attractive option for travellers looking to explore during the week-long national holiday.
The Golden Week holiday combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, making it one of the most significant periods for consumer spending in China. Last year, the network handled 177 million passenger trips over 10 days during the travel rush, and this year, China's railway authority expects to handle 219 million passenger trips over the 12 days from September 29 to October 10.
The Golden Week holiday travel period is likely to provide a significant boost to consumer spending in China, as travellers look to make the most of their time off and enjoy the festivities. With strong demand for travel and a predicted surge in bookings, it's set to be a busy period for the travel industry in China.
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