China’s National Day, the world’s “Golden Week”

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 8, Title: China’s “National Day”, the world’s “Golden Week”

Xinhua News Agency reporter

During the National Day holiday, the topic "The whole world knows that Chinese people have a holiday" became a hot search topic.

From the bustling crowds at Circular Quay in Sydney, to the mingling of local dialects on the train from Florence to Rome, to the Chinese faces on the East African savannah...Chinese tourists leave their busy daily lives and travel to foreign lands and distant places. For many overseas destinations, China's booming outbound tourism can not only drive the development of local cultural tourism and commerce, but also provide a valuable opportunity for cross-cultural exchanges. As netizens commented: "China's 'National Day' is the world's 'Golden Week'."

Statistics show that during the National Day holiday, mainland residents made 4.444 million outbound trips, an increase of 9.3% compared with the same period last year. On the first day of the National Day holiday, hotels in more than 2,000 cities around the world welcomed Chinese tourists. The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimates that from September 25 to October 7, approximately 250,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand, bringing in approximately 11.5 billion baht (approximately US$340 million) in tourism revenue, an increase of 24% and 37% respectively compared with the same period last year. Malaysia's "Star" reported that the arrival of Chinese tourists has led to a significant increase in hotel occupancy rates in Penang and Sabah. An article published on the website of South Korea's "Seoul Economic Daily" said that in order to welcome Chinese tourists, many department stores, duty-free shops and convenience stores have launched promotional activities, and sales are expected to increase significantly compared with the same period last year.

Chinese tourists’ demand for in-depth cultural experiences is escalating, and many countries are responding quickly. VisitBritain launched the "British Stage Season" to invite Chinese tourists to the UK; Incheon, South Korea, used traditional festivals such as Bupyeong Festival and sports activities as selling points to attract Chinese tourists. At the same time, Chinese tourists traveling overseas have spontaneously become disseminators of culture. In Venice, Italy, Chinese tourists on a gondola sang "Ode to the Motherland", causing passers-by to stop and applaud. Chinese tourists who go abroad are not only observers of foreign cultures, capturing the customs and customs of different countries while walking; they are also messengers of people-to-people exchanges, allowing overseas people to see the spiritual outlook of contemporary Chinese people through vivid faces.

The underlying logic behind the popularity of outbound travel is that China is embracing the world with a greater openness. The expansion of the mutual visa exemption "circle of friends" has lowered the travel threshold and shortened the psychological distance. It is worth noting that this flow is two-way: while "Chinese people see the world", "foreigners celebrating Chinese festivals" has also become a new fashion. Data show that during the National Day holiday, 682,000 foreigners entered the country, and 505,000 foreigners entered the country under the visa-free policy, an increase of 5.4% and 9.2% respectively compared with the same period last year. Overseas tourists who choose to come to China during the holidays can not only experience the rich cultural and tourism activities launched for a "limited time", but also enjoy "holiday promotions" when shopping, and truly experience a China where traditional charm is intertwined with the vitality of the times.

Travel is like a key, opening the door to diverse cultures for us and enriching our perspectives in observing the world and understanding life. This hot inbound and outbound tourism trend is not only about the beauty of mountains and rivers and the charm of culture, but also about the warmth of life and the closeness of people's hearts, pushing China and other countries closer together. The flow of people comes and goes, goodwill crosses mountains and seas, understanding breaks down barriers, and people from different countries understand each other's true self. This is the greater meaning of travel.