China’s Golden Week Travel Spending Tops $110 Billion, but Spending Per Trip Falls
Domestic tourism revenue reached 738.38 billion yuan during the seven-day holiday, while average expenditure per trip fell 1.9% year over year to 893.92 yuan.
BEIJING — China's domestic travel spending exceeded 738 billion yuan ($110 billion) during the October 1-7 National Day holiday, but average spending per trip declined to its lowest level in four years, highlighting the uneven recovery in consumer demand.
The country recorded 826 million domestic trips during the seven-day holiday, generating total tourism spending of 738.38 billion yuan, according to figures from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported by Reuters.
Despite the high aggregate spending figure, average expenditure per domestic trip fell 1.9% year on year to 893.92 yuan ($133.51), based on Reuters calculations using government data. The figure was the lowest since 2022.
The contrast suggests that a large number of trips does not necessarily translate into stronger spending by individual travelers. The total reflects the scale of holiday travel, while average expenditure offers a different perspective on consumer spending patterns.
Some Chinese travelers also took advantage of the holiday period to travel overseas, combining National Day leave with the Mid-Autumn Festival period to arrange longer trips. That trend may have shifted part of holiday demand toward international destinations rather than domestic hotels, restaurants and attractions.
The data comes as policymakers continue to seek stronger household consumption to support economic growth. Consumer confidence has faced pressure from a prolonged property-sector downturn, concerns about income growth and uncertainty in the job market.
Tourism remains an important source of demand for transportation, accommodation, food services and cultural attractions. However, the latest figures suggest that higher travel volumes alone may not be sufficient to deliver a broad-based increase in consumer expenditure.
For businesses, the distinction between visitor numbers and spending per visitor will be important when assessing holiday performance. Destinations and tourism operators may need to focus not only on attracting travelers but also on encouraging longer stays and higher-value experiences.
The figures offer a mixed picture of China's holiday economy: domestic travel remained substantial, but the decline in average spending indicates that consumer demand continues to face constraints.