Chinese travellers prepare for ‘golden week’ exodus as long-haul interest returns
Some 60 per cent of Chinese domestic travellers are expected to embark on long-haul trips over the seven-day National Day holiday, which starts on Tuesday
Chinese travellers are set to journey farther and stay longer during the upcoming “golden week” holiday, as lower airfares and a growing appetite for cultural adventures fuel interest in faraway destinations within and outside China.
Some 60 per cent of Chinese domestic travellers would embark on long-haul trips over the seven-day National Day holiday, which starts on Tuesday, representing a significant increase from the 39 per cent estimated to travel long-haul last year, according to travel booking platform Trip.
Lower travel costs are one factor driving the trend, said Zhang Chen, vice-president of online travel platform Fliggy, noting that hotel and flight rates are more favourable compared to last year.
“Flight tickets weren’t particularly expensive this year,” said Yao Jiapei, a Shanghai-based educator who will be spending an extended holiday in Shenzhen and Macau.
The cheapest direct flight from Shanghai to Shenzhen during the holiday period started at just 297 yuan (US$42) before taxes, at least 200 yuan lower than typical peak-season fares.
The discounts also applied to other routes, with domestic airfares for the holiday season as of mid-September on average around 21 per cent cheaper than last year, reported Chinese flight data tracker Dast.
