Tourism Hits New Heights During China’s National Day Holiday, With Railways Operating Extra Trains for Millions

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The National Day holiday has ignited a nationwide travel surge, with record-setting domestic tourism levels and a notable increase in foreign visitors, according to recent data.

China State Railway Group, the national railway operator, reported that Sunday alone would see a peak in return travel, with passenger numbers anticipated to hit 18.73 million. To accommodate this surge, the operator planned an additional 1,432 trains for the day.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, shared with China Central Television that this year’s National Day holiday travel figures are on track to set new records. He attributed this to travel trends, booking metrics, and local holiday preparations across the country.

In major cities like Shanghai, transit systems enhanced their safety protocols for the holiday period. The Shanghai Metro extended its service hours and restricted access to certain stations near popular attractions during peak times to manage the heavy flow of shoppers and holiday-goers.

This holiday season also saw a revival in inbound tourism. At Beijing’s Silk Street Market, for instance, foreign visitor numbers increased by over 50% compared to last year, with sales figures doubling, as reported by CCTV.

Chen Linan, a public relations manager at Trip.com Group, revealed that trip orders from overseas visitors spiked more than 60% during the holiday, with many extending their stays in China to over a week.

Facilitating this travel boom are policies like the expanded 144-hour visa-free transit for 54 countries. This has led to an influx of foreign influencers visiting China to share their experiences since summer.

One British family, known as “The Hutchinsons,” documented their National Day holiday trip to Chongqing on Douyin, China’s popular short-video platform. Their videos highlighted the city’s night views at Hongyadong and their experience sampling the famous spicy hotpot.

Ahead of National Day, the Ministry of Transport estimated that 1.94 billion people would be traveling across regions during the holiday—a 0.7% increase from last year and a 19.4% jump compared to 2019.