Beijing remains the most popular tourist destination in the country during Golden Week, data from tourism authorities has revealed.
The capital received 13 million tourists over the weeklong holiday, a year-on-year increase of 22.7 percent. Tourism revenue totaling 8.8 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) was poured into the city, a year-on-year increase of 29.4 percent.
According to the National Holiday Office, headquartered in the National Tourism Administration, the number of domestic tourists set a new record this year.
The 119 monitored tourist sites across the nation, received more than 34.2 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 21 percent, with total revenue adding up to 1.76 billion yuan - an increase of 25 percent.
The boom in domestic tourism is thanks to the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday falling at the same time, resulting in the longest Golden Week in history.
However, for many travelers the holiday has become associated with severe traffic congestion and crowds of tourists.
Experts compiled a list of the Top 10 destinations in China based on hotel reservations, flights taken and other holiday related bookings.
The list has been mocked as the "Top 10 destinations not to go" and "top 10 destinations with the biggest crowds".
"I went to Shanghai during the National Day holiday only to find myself surrounded and even suffocated by massive crowds," said Han Shuai, a 26-year-old bank clerk from Shandong province.
"It totally makes sense that Shanghai ranks second on the list," he said. "Were the list released earlier I might have changed my mind and spent the holiday somewhere else."
China's first aircraft carrier celebrates National Day
Sina Microblog
Tencent Microblog
Feedback
RSS
