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What is Golden Week in China?

Golden Week is one of the two longest holidays in China, usually lasting from October 1st to 7th or 8th to celebrate Chinese National Day. During the holiday, Chinese people like traveling very much, making it the busiest time of a year in China’s tourism industry. Even if they do not travel, they would seize the chance free from work to go shopping, get treated at nice restaurants, watch movies at theaters, etc. All these make the week-long holiday the most profitable time of a year, especially China’s tourism industry, hence given the name “golden” week.

When is Golden Week in China?

China Golden Week holiday usually begins around October 1st and lasts for 7 days. If Mid-Autumn Festival falls adjacent to the day, the holiday will be prolonged to 8 days long.

The Golden Week of China 2025 dates are Oct. 1 to October 8th, 8 days long, and 2026 dates are Oct. 1 - 7, 7 days long.

What Make the Week “Golden”?

1. Booming Tourists

During the rare holiday, quite a lot of Chinese travel far from their homes, which they cannot do on weekends or other short holidays, bringing far more tourists, in another word, money, to scenic spots, hotels, restaurants, and train and flight providers, etc.

According to the statistics from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, in Golden Week China 2019, China tourism industry served 782 million tourists and gained a profit of CNY 649.71 billion. China trains served 138 million passengers and China flights 12.8 million.

Here are also the statistics of some top travel destinations: During Golden Week Beijing in 2019, the city served 9.207 million tourists and earned CNY11.17 billion. The Shanghai Golden Week received 10.37 million tourists and made CNY11.5 billion.

Hong Kong only has one day off right on the October 1st. But the soaring tourists from the mainland contribute to the formation of Golden Week in Hong Kong, too, bringing it more tourists and profits than usual.

2. Increasing Consumers

For those who don’t travel during the Golden Week in China, they would go out to meet friends for a big meal, go shopping, watch movies at cinemas, etc. In another word, treat themselves in other ways while giving money off.

Also in 2019 China Golden Week holiday, the sales volume of China’s retailing and catering enterprises reached CNY 1,520 billion and the film box offices took CNY 4,215 million in.

Where to Go during Golden Week China?

However, the booming tourists also bring some problems, like long queues at scenic spots, increasing flight ticket price and accommodation cost. The train ticket fare does not change very much, but you need to grab a ticket once it is released in case of being sold out. We strongly recommend you do not travel here during the China Golden Week. If you have no other choices, choose some travel destinations with relatively less tourists, like Xinjiang, southern Gansu, Qinghai, and Yangtze River. They are kind of “remote” from the population-intensive areas but offer colorful autumn scenery.

Spring Festival Golden Week Holiday

The holiday for Spring Festival or Chinese New Year is the other longest holiday in China, so it is also a golden holiday in China’s tourism industry with far more tourists than usual days. However, falling in late January to middle February in winter when the weather is still cold and it is time for family reunion, the amount of tourists is not as big as in the National Day golden week holiday in China. But some travel destinations can also be busy, like Sanya in southern China which is warm all year round and Harbin in northeast when the Ice Festival is going on. The flight tickets can also be high and the train tickets in great demands, as migrant workers, students and employees working outside their homelands will travel back home. One more thing, Chinese like to travel abroad to some warm destinations during the Spring Festival Golden Week holiday, especially southeast and south Asian countries.

See also:
China National Day Celebration in Golden Week of October

- Last updated on Oct. 12, 2024 by Gabby Li -

Questions & Answers on What is Golden Week in China?

Asked by Lieza from MALAYSIA | Sep. 07, 2024 05:19

GOLDEN WEEK 2024 TRAVEL - 1/10/2024 - 15/10/2024

We will be arriving Guang Zhou on 1/10/2024 and plan to go to other parts of China via train ,, our return ticket to Malaysia is from Beijing on 15/10/2024. Can suggest where to go to avoid the crowd on Golden Week? we did not know that the National Holiday is for a week. We have not make any hotel reservation or train ticket yet.

Answers (1)

Answered by Emily | Sep. 09, 2024 02:35

I think you need to book the hotel and train tickets asap. The train tickets can be sold out in minutes once available and the hotel price will soar. Honestly, main attractions in China will all be crowded. Just try to avoid the capital cities and most famous attractions from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7.

Asked by Masa from SLOVENIA | May. 06, 2024 19:52

Travel end of September

Is the "long" weekend end of Sept. 28.9.-1.10. also busy?

Answers (1)

Answered by Randy | May. 08, 2024 19:33

Some people will start their holiday since September 28 so it will be a little busier than usual, but not as busy as during the "Golden Week".

Asked by Sam from USA | Apr. 16, 2024 19:41

Travel on Oct 9

With golden week ending on October 7, does the effect linger after the 7th? If travelers were to visit China on October 9, would all the attractions and restaurants still be crowded?

Answers (1)

Answered by Lori | Apr. 17, 2024 01:28

On Oct. 9, Chinese tourists will be back to work and it will be much less crowded.