Home » CHINA TRAVEL NEWS » China’s National Day Holiday Boosts Tourism, with Smaller Spend Per Tourist, Here’s What You Need to Know

Published on
October 12, 2025

In China, the 8-day National Day and Mid-Autumn holidays combined (from September 29 to October 6, 2025) saw the country reach peak travel activity with 2.43 billion regional trips being made. During the holidays, the average 304 million daily trips made celebrated the country’s post-pandemic domestic travel. With the amount of travelers, however, the decrease in spending per head indicated ‘more trips, lower spend’ was becoming the reinforced travel culture.

With trends showing the changing holidays, the increase in travel, and the experience focused backed by lower spending made in the recent years is showing positive improvement in the market’s turnover.

Record Travel Numbers but Lower Spending

According to the Chinese Ministry of Transport, domestic tourism generated a massive 888 million trips during the holiday period, translating into a staggering $111.4 billion (¥809 billion) in spending. However, this total reflects a slight decline in per-person daily spending compared to 2024. In 2025, tourists spent an average of $12.54 (¥113.88) per day, down from $14.39 (¥130.87) the previous year. This shift in spending behavior indicates that while people are traveling more than ever, they are doing so with a tighter budget.

The decrease in daily expenditure is part of a broader trend where Chinese tourists are becoming more selective in how they spend their money, often prioritizing experiences over shopping or luxury purchases. As a result, the tourism industry must adapt to these changes by offering more affordable yet enriching travel experiences that align with the evolving desires of modern Chinese travelers.

Domestic Travel Booms Across Multiple Regions

The holiday period saw a rise in all types of domestic travel, with notable increases in rail and air travel, which rose by 2.6% and 3.4%, respectively. Highway trips surpassed 2.25 billion, an increase of 6.5%, highlighting the growing importance of road travel for Chinese tourists. This boom in domestic tourism indicates that more Chinese citizens are opting to explore their own country, whether for leisure or family visits, as the country’s extensive transport network makes travel more accessible and affordable.

Long-haul travel within China also surged, with flights and rail journeys covering distances greater than 3,200 km seeing a 14% increase. Routes to Xinjiang, a region in the far northwest of China, were particularly popular. The rise in long-distance travel reflects a shift towards exploring more remote and less frequently visited parts of the country, as tourists look to uncover new destinations beyond the major urban centers like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Surge in Cross-Border Travel and Niche International Destinations

Another key highlight of the holiday season was the sharp rise in cross-border travel. Over 16.3 million international trips were made, up 11.5% compared to previous years. A significant driver of this growth was the increased number of visa-free entries, which surged by 46.8%. Countries such as Iceland, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt saw an uptick in Chinese tourists, highlighting the rising demand for niche international destinations.

This shift toward international travel is particularly significant in light of China’s growing middle class, which now has the means to travel more frequently abroad. Despite tighter spending, the desire for new and unique experiences is driving travelers to explore less conventional locations, rather than the typical tourist-heavy spots in Europe and the U.S. This trend signals that the Chinese tourism market is increasingly diversifying its travel preferences, with a growing appetite for cultural and off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Small-Town Tourism and Non-Tier-1 Luxury Hotels See Significant Growth

One of the most interesting developments from this year’s holiday period is the boom in small-town tourism. As visitors look for quieter, more affordable alternatives to the heavily trafficked cities, bookings in over 2,000 smaller counties across China rose significantly. This trend has provided a boost for non-tier-1 luxury hotels, with bookings increasing by 90% compared to previous years.

The rise of small-town tourism reflects the shift in Chinese travelers’ preferences for slower, more immersive travel experiences. These tourists are seeking places that offer authentic local culture, history, and nature-based experiences, all while avoiding the crowds that often accompany big city destinations. This shift is helping to balance the flow of tourists throughout the country, distributing economic benefits more evenly and providing new opportunities for regions that were previously overlooked by mainstream tourism.

Shifting Focus from Shopping to Experiences

One noticeable shift in Chinese tourism is the declining focus on shopping, particularly high-end retail. Movie ticket sales dropped by 13% to $2.5 billion (¥18.35 billion), while film-themed tours grew by 50%, showing that tourists are now prioritizing experiences over material purchases. This trend is also reflected in the rise of concert and sports tourism, with tier-3 to tier-5 cities seeing a 34% increase in local shows, and music festival attendance surging by 66.6%.

In addition, large-scale events such as the Beijing China Open tennis tournament led to a 116% spike in hotel bookings, proving that experiences, especially those related to sports and cultural events, are now at the forefront of Chinese tourists’ minds. This shift has created new opportunities for destinations and service providers to capitalize on this growing demand for experience-driven tourism.

Service Sector Dominates Over Goods in Spending Patterns

The holiday data also highlights a growing shift in spending patterns, with service-sector revenue increasing by 7.6% compared to a modest 3.9% growth in the goods sector. This indicates that Chinese tourists are spending more on services like dining, entertainment, and wellness activities rather than purchasing tangible goods. This trend aligns with the broader move toward experience-based tourism, where tourists are increasingly willing to invest in unique experiences rather than material items.

The government’s efforts to support local tourism have also played a role in this shift. Over 29,000 cultural events were organized nationwide, and tourists were encouraged to use $66 million (¥480 million) in vouchers to experience local attractions. This initiative helped steer spending toward cultural and leisure experiences, further enhancing the growth of the service-oriented tourism market.

Changing Trends and Opportunities for the Tourism Industry

We have observed trends related to tourist behavior during the holidays in China for 2025. The increase in travel shows the intention to “travel more but spend less” which suggests a shift to more deliberate spending in tourism. Cultural and unique experiences seem to be in high demand and request for affordable experiences tourism is growing. The interest in niche and relatively unknown international destinations for travel suggests China’s tourists behavior is changing.

For the tourism sector, such shifts in behaviour present new challenges and new possibilities. There is a need for a shift in business models to provide genuine, one-of-a-kind experiences while alleviating the pricing issues. Businesses to need to shift their business models to alleviate the pricing issues. The increase in spending on a service and tourism to small towns are positive indicators that the sector is developing, monetarily and structurally.