As the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays get closer, countless Chinese travelers are preparing for an eight-day break, which is really pushing outbound tourism upwards. Because visa-free policies have been expanded and there are more international flights available, Chinese tourists are checking out both well-known and up-and-coming places, looking for really engaging and personalized travel experiences during these Golden Week holidays.
A Surge in Travel Demand
Airbnb, a pretty well-known U.S. platform for short-term vacation rentals, says that searches by Chinese users for places to stay between September 27 and October 8 have almost doubled compared to last year. This big increase shows that people are getting more and more excited about traveling internationally, which is helped by easier visa processes and more flights being available. Experts in the industry are thinking that China’s outbound tourism sector will probably keep growing throughout 2025 because of these positive changes.
Top Destinations: From Classics to Hidden Gems
While places like Japan, Italy, France, Spain, and the United States are still popular as ever, Chinese travelers seem to be increasingly interested in places that are a bit different and not as well-known. Japan is still the number one choice, and searches for cities such as Fukuoka and Takamatsu have tripled compared to last year. Several European countries are also seeing quite a bit of interest, with searches for Italy, Spain, and France more than doubling, give or take.
Apart from just visiting cities, nature is a big attraction. Tropical spots like Okinawa in Japan and Phu Quoc in Vietnam have become much more popular, with search volumes going up by more than double and maybe even sevenfold, give or take. Also, places that are further away, like Russia, are becoming more popular too. Moscow’s search volume is up by around 3.3 times compared to the previous month and almost four times compared to last year, or so Trip.com Group says. This growth is helped by a new visa-free policy that lets Russian passport holders enter China, and Moscow is doing the same thing in return.
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A Shift Toward Immersive Experiences
Kong Zhiqiu, who’s in charge of Airbnb China, says that Golden Week has become a “major reason” for getting people excited about traveling overseas again. Chinese travelers, especially younger professionals aged 25 to 29, think of travel as a lifestyle and really want cultural experiences that immerse them. “Chinese travelers are showing an extreme curiosity about local cultures and unique experiences,” Kong mentioned. This change can be seen in their preference for places that offer real-life settings for experiences that they’ll remember and want to take photos of and share.
Travelers are also looking for really good places to stay, places to eat, and cultural things to do. Dai Bin, the president of the China Academy of Tourism, pointed out that Chinese tourists are happy to spend money on premium hotels, restaurants, and cultural shows to make their travel experience better. This focus on quality and personalization is changing tourism around the world, as travelers want to really get into the local lifestyles.
The Role of Connectivity and Policy
The increase in international travel is also supported by a 60% rise in searches for international airline tickets compared to last year, according to Tongcheng Travel. Places that aren’t too far away in East and Southeast Asia are still favorites, because they’re close and there are more flights available. Easier visa policies, like the visa-free agreement with Russia, are also making it easier to travel further.