This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is on September 30, and the National Day holiday is from October 1 to 7, making the 8-day break this year's "longest holiday." Reporters learned from multiple travel agencies that outbound tour routes for this extended Golden Week are already open for booking in full, with some popular outbound routes showing signs of tight availability. Additionally, the policy of waiving tolls for small passenger vehicles will be implemented for the first time during the National Day holiday. Tourism professionals expect this "National Day" to become the "hottest Golden Week."
Before summer vacation even ends, Ms. Zhang, a local resident, has already started planning her travel for the National Day Golden Week. "I've always wanted to travel to the U.S., but I never had enough consecutive days off. This National Day Golden Week offers eight days—combining annual leave with the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays just perfectly creates an ultra-long break." According to data monitored by Tuniu Travel Network, the number of outbound tour packages launched for this National Day Golden Week has increased by about 10% compared to the same period last year. Since the launch of holiday group tour packages, long-haul destinations such as Europe, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea have seen early surges in bookings, with consultation and reservation volumes rising markedly compared to the same period last year.
According to Fei Xin, general manager of an international travel agency, the prices of outbound tour packages for this "longest holiday" continue to rise. Although the number of tour groups hasn’t changed much compared to previous years, the number of inquiries and bookings far exceeds that of past years, with current bookings already accounting for 60% to 70% of total capacity. "Long-haul routes are mostly sold out by now, though there are still some spots left for short-haul trips." In terms of itinerary options, travel plans that offer better experiences and comfort are becoming increasingly popular among tourists. The shift in mindset among citizens—from prioritizing "price" to focusing on "experience"—is especially evident. "Attracting tourists solely with low prices is no longer enough. Especially during Golden Week, the first question potential travelers ask isn’t about price—it’s whether there are any available spots left."
Moreover, since relevant authorities previously introduced a policy waiving tolls for small passenger vehicles during certain holidays, industry insiders predict that a significant proportion of citizens will choose to drive their own cars or rent vehicles for travel during this "National Day." Reporters learned from an automobile club in Suzhou that although registration for self-driving tour packages specifically for the National Day Golden Week won’t begin until mid-September, the person in charge remains very optimistic about the impact of the new policy. "This policy will substantially reduce the cost of driving during holidays, and we expect more citizens to opt for self-drive tours during holiday periods."
At the same time, some industry insiders also noted that the first implementation of the toll-free policy for small passenger vehicles during this National Day holiday will test the maturity of domestic tourist attractions. "Some popular scenic spots may experience a peak in holiday visitor reception due to the new policy. The increase in self-drive tourism could lead to saturation or even over-saturation of parking spaces at these sites, affecting the travel experience. Therefore, citizens planning self-drive trips need to pay attention in advance to whether these scenic spots have released any information regarding parking capacity for the expected surge in private vehicles."
Before summer vacation even ends, Ms. Zhang, a local resident, has already started planning her travel for the National Day Golden Week. "I've always wanted to travel to the U.S., but I never had enough consecutive days off. This National Day Golden Week offers eight days—combining annual leave with the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays just perfectly creates an ultra-long break." According to data monitored by Tuniu Travel Network, the number of outbound tour packages launched for this National Day Golden Week has increased by about 10% compared to the same period last year. Since the launch of holiday group tour packages, long-haul destinations such as Europe, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea have seen early surges in bookings, with consultation and reservation volumes rising markedly compared to the same period last year.
According to Fei Xin, general manager of an international travel agency, the prices of outbound tour packages for this "longest holiday" continue to rise. Although the number of tour groups hasn’t changed much compared to previous years, the number of inquiries and bookings far exceeds that of past years, with current bookings already accounting for 60% to 70% of total capacity. "Long-haul routes are mostly sold out by now, though there are still some spots left for short-haul trips." In terms of itinerary options, travel plans that offer better experiences and comfort are becoming increasingly popular among tourists. The shift in mindset among citizens—from prioritizing "price" to focusing on "experience"—is especially evident. "Attracting tourists solely with low prices is no longer enough. Especially during Golden Week, the first question potential travelers ask isn’t about price—it’s whether there are any available spots left."
Moreover, since relevant authorities previously introduced a policy waiving tolls for small passenger vehicles during certain holidays, industry insiders predict that a significant proportion of citizens will choose to drive their own cars or rent vehicles for travel during this "National Day." Reporters learned from an automobile club in Suzhou that although registration for self-driving tour packages specifically for the National Day Golden Week won’t begin until mid-September, the person in charge remains very optimistic about the impact of the new policy. "This policy will substantially reduce the cost of driving during holidays, and we expect more citizens to opt for self-drive tours during holiday periods."
At the same time, some industry insiders also noted that the first implementation of the toll-free policy for small passenger vehicles during this National Day holiday will test the maturity of domestic tourist attractions. "Some popular scenic spots may experience a peak in holiday visitor reception due to the new policy. The increase in self-drive tourism could lead to saturation or even over-saturation of parking spaces at these sites, affecting the travel experience. Therefore, citizens planning self-drive trips need to pay attention in advance to whether these scenic spots have released any information regarding parking capacity for the expected surge in private vehicles."
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