China Travel Surges for Extended Golden Week Celebrations

One of China's biggest annual holiday periods begins Friday. This years Golden Week runs for eight straight days. The extended length of the holiday looks supportive for travel, tourism and retail.

• It’s also one of the first holiday periods since the Covid-19 pandemic during which people from China can travel without restrictions.
• Outbound international travel bookings are nearly 20 times higher compared to the same holiday period last year, according to Trip.com.
• Despite the surge in numbers, China’s outbound international flight capacity is still down around 50% from pore-pandemic.
• More than 21 million passengers will travel by air in China during the Golden Week period, with an average of 17,000 daily outbound international flights and another 14,000 domestic flights per day.
• China Railway estimates around 190 million railway trips will be made during the 12-day travel rush from September 27 to October 8, according to rail booking platform 12306.
• That is more than double the 72 million trips made during the same holiday last year and exceeds the 138 million trips made in 2019, before the pandemic in signs Chinese tourists are still favouring domestic travel.