China experienced a significant uptick in domestic tourism activity over the five-day May Day holidays, with nearly 300 million trips recorded within the country. This surge reflects a robust momentum in the nation’s economic recovery.
Data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism revealed a total of 295 million domestic trips during the May Day holidays, marking a 7.6 percent increase compared to the previous year and a remarkable 28.2 percent surge from 2019. Concurrently, domestic tourism spending witnessed a substantial rise, reaching 166.89 billion yuan ($23.51 billion), up 12.7 percent year-on-year and 13.5 percent higher than in 2019.
Experts noted that the growth rate in tourism trips and spending during the May Day holidays outpaced that of other major holidays, such as the Qingming Festival and the Spring Festival, underscoring a robust recovery in tourism and domestic consumption.
Alongside domestic travel, China also saw a notable increase in inbound and outbound trips during the May Day holidays, with over 3.67 million trips recorded. Favorable policies and measures facilitating international travel contributed to this rapid recovery.
Popular outbound destinations included Singapore, Japan, Thailand, the US, and South Korea, while inbound tourism saw significant growth in orders, as reported by major Chinese platforms like Trip.com and Alipay.
New forms of cultural and tourism consumption gained traction during this year’s May Day holidays, with immersive night tours and camping experiences seeing increased popularity. National-level night cultural and tourism venues welcomed a total of 72.58 million visits, up 6.9 percent from the same period in 2023.
The surge in tourism and consumption activities during the May Day holidays played a crucial role in stimulating the economy, unleashing demand, and driving production. Experts anticipate further growth in consumer spending, driven by initiatives such as consumer product trade-ins, providing new impetus for China’s economic development.
The positive momentum observed during the May Day holidays underscores the resilience of China’s economy and sets a strong foundation for achieving annual development targets. With GDP growth surpassing market expectations in the first quarter, China’s economy is poised for sustained expansion in the coming months.