China’s longest holiday of the year is just around the corner. The 8-day Golden Week holiday, which combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, is set to drive booking consumption. Trip.com Group data shows that outbound travel orders increased nearly 20 times, and domestic travel increased more than four times over the Golden Week period this year, compared to the same period in 2022.
Outbound travel has experienced a significant surge in growth – this Golden Week being the first long holiday since the resumption of international travel. During the National Day holiday, overall orders have increased nearly 20 times year-on-year with popular countries for outbound travel, including Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, etc.
Golden Week Travel: Surge in Luxury and Unique Destinations
More bespoke and previously untraveled dentitions are on the rise for this holiday, with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sri Lanka, Kenya and other countries experiencing the highest increase in group tour orders compared with the same period before the pandemic.
It is worth noting that users’ outbound travel consumption has increasingly changed, with travellers more willing to pay for in-depth experiences and high-quality services.
Globally, the volume of five-star bookings for the Golden Week period has surged compared to the same period last year, in Southeast Asia, by 562%, in the Middle East, by 559%, and in Europe, by 379% respectively.
Moreover, in Europe, the volume of first-class and business-class flight seats has increased by 300% for this year’s Golden Week period compared to the same period last year.
Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group said, “It’s exciting to witness this surge in travel bookings as we approach the Golden Week holiday. This year’s holiday season reflects a strong desire among travellers for unique and immersive experiences. We’ve observed a significant shift towards high-quality services and in-depth travel encounters. Travellers are not just exploring popular destinations but also seeking authentic and off-the-beaten-path experiences.”
National Day Travel: Rise in Private Tours and Long Stays
Private tours, with independent groups and flexible itineraries, are more popular among users during National Day. Trip.com Group data shows that National Day outbound private group tour orders increased significantly by more than two times compared with August this year.
This year, Hangzhou, China, will host the Asian Games, helping spur domestic travel. Overall, order booking volume during the National Day holiday has increased by more than five times year-on-year. Among them, air ticket booking volume increased by nearly five times year-on-year, and hotel booking volume increased by more than eight times year-on-year.
Interestingly, the proportion of inter-provincial travel orders reached 73%, an increase of ten percentage points compared with the same period in 2022, and nearly 20% of users chose to stay for three or more days. Popular destinations for long-term travel are focused around the northwest region, suitable for autumn tours, such as Burqin, Urumqi, Lanzhou, and Dunhuang, as well as Sanya, Guangzhou, Xiamen and other places in South China with pleasant climates.
About Trip.com Group Golden Week holiday
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world”.