Golden Week drives surge in family travel and tourism demand

This year’s eight-day National Day holiday, extended by one day to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival, has fueled a boom in China’s tourism market, industry insiders report.

“With demand for travel and family reunions coinciding, we’ve seen a notable rise in family trips,” said Cai Muzi, a researcher at Beijing-based online travel agency Qunar, as cited in a China Daily report.

“The holiday’s overall tourism popularity is expected to surpass that of previous years.”

High demand has led many passengers to switch from fully booked high-speed trains to flights, contributing to an overall increase in holiday airfares, according to aviation data provider VariFlight.

Cai noted, however, that airfares “saw a drop starting on Oct. 2 and reached a relatively low level on Oct. 4. Traveling during the off-peak period makes it more cost-effective.”

On Oct. 1, National Day, family travelers dominated the holiday exodus. Qunar reported that family travelers accounted for 43 % of all trips – 3 % higher than last year – while the number of children under 12 traveling by air surged 31 % year-on-year.

Seniors over 60 also increased by 33 % year-on-year, highlighting a broader demographic engagement in holiday travel.

Domestic hotel check-ins on the first day were led by Beijing, followed by Shanghai and Chongqing. Self-driving trips rose sharply, with road travelers more than tripling compared with the previous day, Tuniu Corp reported, reflecting a growing preference for flexible, family-centered travel.

The extended holiday also encouraged outbound travel, particularly from third-tier and smaller cities. Travelers flying abroad on Oct. 1 surged more than 50 % year-on-year. Top overseas destinations included Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, international visitors showed heightened interest in experiencing Chinese culture. On Oct. 1, foreign passengers taking domestic flights increased more than 40 % year-on-year, visiting roughly 70 cities. Most foreign travelers were from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, Qunar found.

According to Flight Master, a travel services platform, the average airfare for the National Day holiday reached 819 yuan ($115), up 9.1 % year-on-year. Independent aviation analyst Lin Zhijie said, “After adjustments over the past few years, airlines’ pricing strategies have become increasingly accurate and effective, and airfares now more closely align with market demand.”

Industry observers note that the overlapping dual holidays – National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival – have strengthened family travel demand, boosted domestic tourism, and driven a resurgence in both hotel occupancy and air travel, signaling a strong rebound for the sector following the summer peak season.