Trip.com Group’s latest data shows travel trends for Golden Week 2024

With millions of Chinese travellers gearing up for Golden Week in early October, Trip.com Group released a new report showing notable travel flows for the last major travel period of 2024.

The Group has already seen hotel bookings peak in arrivals on 1st October, the day the festivities begin. They also noted that the average length of stays runs to over seven days, as workers can enjoy a 10-day break by taking an additional two days off. 

Total booking growth for stays has also grown year-on-year.

Where are people planning to go for the holidays?

In terms of cost, the top outbound destinations (namely Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, the UK, and the USA) all saw a significant drop in average air ticket prices. 

The report also noted how travellers are now seeking high-quality, mid-tier accommodation types. However, in Europe, year-on-year growth of 5-star hotel bookings was almost three times higher than in Asia-Pacific.

A significant shift towards long-haul destinations was also noted this year, with Australia, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain topping the list of most sought-after destinations by Chinese travellers. Long-haul flights also significantly increased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

European destinations like the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and Italy are seeing significantly longer stays, surpassing 10 to 14 days.

Interestingly, in Europe, more than 30% choose multi-destination itineraries, reflecting a growing trend to maximise long-haul travel. Meanwhile, in Asia Pacific, nearly 80% of Chinese travellers opt for single-destination trips.

Additionally, travellers plan further in advance, with visa applications submitted an average of 68 days before the holiday, 29 days earlier than last year. The top countries for National Day visa applications include Japan, South Korea, Australia, the United States, Vietnam, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain.

Off the beaten path

With overtourism as one of the challenges for key destinations around the world, Chinese travellers have increasingly been drawn to quieter, off-the-beaten-path locations this Golden Week. This is so particularly in the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions. 

Japanese cities off the main circuit of Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto, like Yokohama, Takayama and Ito, showed three-digit booking growth, underscoring this trend. Additionally, nature and wellness tourism saw a rise, with Phu Quoc Islands in Vietnam and the hot spring town of Higashiizu in Japan becoming popular for their scenic landscapes and wellness experiences.

European destinations such as Granada and Seville also captured significant attention, with a 260 percent and 144 percent rise in bookings, respectively, reflecting a desire for greater cultural and historical immersion beyond key capitals.