Key facts
- China recorded 2.14 billion passenger trips during the Golden Week holiday.
- Average daily trips were 306 million, up 0.6% from last year.
- Top foreign destinations included Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul.
- Trips to Japan have decreased due to diplomatic tensions.
China's Golden Week holiday concluded on October 7 with millions of travelers returning home after journeys across the country and abroad. The transport ministry reported 2.14 billion passenger trips during the weeklong period, averaging 306 million per day, a 0.6% increase from the previous year. Airlines increased flights to Southeast Asian destinations and Europe to accommodate demand. According to booking platform Tongcheng Travel, the most popular foreign destinations were Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul. Singapore, Bali, and Ho Chi Minh City also featured in the top ten, while no Japanese cities made the list. Previously popular with Chinese tourists, Japanese cities have seen a decline in visitors since the Chinese government advised against travel last November, following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding potential Taiwan crisis. Tokyo and Osaka were once ranked third and eighth, respectively, by Tongcheng Travel during peak times. Chinese cities were adorned with national flags to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the People's Republic of China's founding in 1949, with many attendees at drone and firework displays wearing traditional attire.