* From misty mountains to centuries-old towns, tourist destinations across China were teeming with visitors.

* China's National Day holiday, known as "Golden Week," is one of the busiest periods on the country's travel calendar.

* The holiday unleashed a wave of consumer spending, injecting fresh momentum into the economy.

CHANGSHA/SHANGHAI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- When a travel channel camera captured the sea of clouds, red cliffs and green meadows of Chenzhou in central China's Hunan Province, Kim Min-jun, watching from his home in the Republic of Korea (ROK), was instantly captivated, and this October, he turned that spark of curiosity into reality.

Unexpectedly, his family trip coincided with China's National Day holiday, known as "Golden Week," which concluded on Wednesday. Despite the crowded scenic spots, he immersed himself in the festive spirit, joining a pumpkin party, watching fireworks and even dancing around a bonfire.

"The convenient transport and hospitality exceeded my expectations," he said. "At almost every site, I could hear Korean. China's 'Golden Week' felt like an international festival."

From misty mountains to centuries-old towns, tourist destinations across China were teeming with visitors as millions of travelers marked one of the busiest periods on the country's travel calendar, turning the holiday into a vivid display of both travel enthusiasm and economic vitality.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China recorded 888 million domestic tourist trips during the National Day holiday, which overlapped with the Mid-Autumn Festival and was extended to eight days, up 123 million from the seven-day holiday in 2024. Domestic tourism spending reached 809 billion yuan (about 113.8 billion U.S. dollars), up 108 billion yuan year on year.

INBOUND TOURISM ON THE RISE

Visa-free policies and better travel facilitation have fueled a strong rebound in inbound tourism, with countries such as the ROK, the United States, Russia, Japan and Malaysia among the top sources of overseas visitors, according to the travel platform Trip.com.

In Hunan Province alone, foreign travelers made around 23,000 trips, accounting for over half of all border crossings, with visitors from the ROK comprising 81 percent. The Chinese capital Beijing welcomed 119,000 overseas arrivals, a 48 percent year-on-year increase, while their spending surged 54 percent to 1.23 billion yuan.

"Chinese cities have changed tremendously. Now you can see greenery everywhere, which really lifts your mood," said Kirill Ratnikov, a tourist from Russia visiting Shanghai. "The visa-free policies will surely attract more Russian visitors to explore the country."

According to the National Immigration Administration (NIA), tourists from 76 countries are now able to benefit from unilateral or mutual visa-free entry, with transit exemptions expanded to 55 countries.

During the holiday, cross-border trips by foreigners surged 21.6 percent to 1.43 million. A total of 751,000 foreigners entered the country, including 535,000 under the visa-free policy, representing year-on-year increases of 19.8 percent and 46.8 percent, respectively, NIA said Thursday.

China has also been working actively to remove payment and language barriers for international visitors. Mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay now support direct linkage with international credit cards, AI-powered translation tools are being introduced at airports and tourist sites, and by the end of August, the number of tax refund stores serving foreign visitors had surpassed 10,000.

REVIVAL OF TRADITIONAL CULTURE

Traditional culture has emerged as a highlight of the holiday season. In Shanghai, subway displays of paper-cuttings depicting the Moon goddess Chang'e, bunny-shaped lanterns in an ancient town, and fabric collages at the Power Station of Art drew crowds eager to capture the perfect holiday shot.

"Despite its continuous development, the city has retained its traditional beauty," said Zhou Xiang, a local visitor. "That's what makes it so charming."

Cultural tourism products, including visits to historical sites, intangible cultural heritage workshops and China-chic routes, saw a surge in bookings during the National Day holiday, according to Trip.com.

In Tongling of east China's Anhui Province, the centuries-old art of crafting molten iron fireworks was brought to life, while Beijing hosted a week-long opera event featuring a variety of local performances. Museums such as the Hubei Provincial Museum and the Shenyang Palace Museum extended their opening hours into the night to welcome more visitors.

In late September, China launched a month-long campaign to boost cultural and tourism consumption, featuring more than 29,000 events nationwide and distributing over 480 million yuan in consumption subsidies.

"Tourists have moved from passive sightseeing to active exploration," said Zhang Xiangyu, head of the Henan academy of cultural and tourism planning. "Traditional culture has been revitalized through innovative expressions and has become a key driver for attracting visitors during the holiday."

SMALL TOWNS, BIG DEMAND

Many holidaymakers also explored beyond China's well-known tourist hotspots, seeking lesser-known destinations where crowds were thinner and experiences felt more authentic.

According to Fliggy, a leading online travel platform, bookings for trips to smaller cities and counties surged during the vacation period, with some destinations reporting increases of more than 200 percent.

"County-level tourism has become one of the strongest growth engines of China's travel market," said Wu Nanxuan of Huaxia Baiqiang Tourism Consulting Center. Wu noted that, demographically, travelers aged 18 to 34 account for the majority of this trend, many of whom prefer self-driving trips.

As crowds thronged restaurants, malls and tourist attractions, the holiday unleashed a wave of consumer spending, injecting fresh momentum into the economy. Daily average sales revenues in consumer-related sectors nationwide rose 4.5 percent year on year during the holiday, according to data released by China's State Taxation Administration.

Theaters also reaped the benefits, with holiday box office takings surpassing 1.83 billion yuan between Oct. 1 and 8, driven by a slate of domestic releases.

The "Golden Week" demonstrated the potential and resilience of China's domestic consumption, said Ming Ming, chief economist at CITIC Securities.

In the future, consumption will continue to serve as an important driver for the economy, he said, anticipating a slew of measures orienting toward deepening reform in the service sector and bolstering consumption confidence. 

(Reporting by Cheng Lu, Bai Xu, Luo Qi, Wu Qiong, Zhang Yujie, Zhang Ge, Wang Teng, Chen Aiping and Xue Chen; Video reporters: Zhang Yujie, Zhang Ge, Xue Chen, Yang Shiyan, Zhao Jiale, Chen Aiping, Lyu Ze and Li Shuai; Video editors: Hong Ling, Li Qin and Wang Han) ■