Chinese travellers are preparing for an unprecedented travel surge during Golden Week 2026, with Trip.com Group revealing a significant rise in early departures and extended trips. By taking just three days off, workers can enjoy a 13-day holiday, combining Golden Week and Mid-Autumn Festival breaks. Outbound travel is expected to peak from 25 September, with trips averaging over nine days.
With the Mid-Autumn Festival preceding Golden Week, many are opting to travel earlier to avoid the rush. Over half of the outbound flight bookings are for departures before the official holiday start on 1 October, with peaks on 25 and 30 September. Long-haul travel is on the rise, with bookings for European cities like London and Paris seeing a 123% year-on-year increase.
The trend of multi-destination trips is also gaining traction, with an 84% rise in bookings. Popular routes include Singapore and Bali, and Amsterdam and Milan. Nature and cultural destinations are in high demand, with searches for scenic getaways up by 53%. Domestically, Qingdao, Lhasa, and Kashgar are popular, whilst Jeju and Bali lead international bookings.
Millennials and Gen Z are driving this trend, with New Zealand emerging as a favourite among Gen Z travellers. Inbound tourism is also growing, with lesser-known Chinese cities like Yanji and Dunhuang seeing increased interest. The Mutianyu Great Wall remains a top attraction for international visitors.
Seoul ranks as the top destination, with a 91% increase in flight bookings. The overlap of Golden Week and South Korea's Chuseok holiday is boosting regional travel, with significant growth in bookings to Fukuoka and Shanghai. These patterns highlight robust travel growth across Asia, fuelled by extended holidays
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