Early data shows robust commercial revenue and record travel figures as the seven-day break unfolds across the country.
China National Day holiday spending remains steady
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Consumer spending across China is holding steady midway through the seven-day National Day holiday, with early data pointing to stable growth that reflects the economy’s underlying vitality.
According to the Xinhua news agency, during the first three days of the holiday, spanning from October 1 to October 3, foot traffic and revenue across seventy-eight major shopping streets and commercial districts monitored by the Ministry of Commerce increased by 3.4 percent and 5.3 percent year on year, respectively.
A significant driver of this economic activity has been the government’s consumer goods trade-in programme. This initiative generated 19.63 billion yuan (US$2.91 billion) in sales over the same three-day period, directly benefiting 3.48 million consumers. A detailed breakdown reveals that the programme facilitated trade-ins for 46,000 vehicles, generating 7.45 billion yuan in new car sales. Additionally, it supported 1.51 million home appliances valued at 6.5 billion yuan and 1.71 million digital and smart devices worth 4.9 billion yuan, Xinhua says.
China national day holiday spending boosts retail and travel
The National Day holiday traditionally represents one of the nation’s peak periods for travel, tourism, and overall expenditure. Authorities previously projected a total of 2.13 billion cross-regional passenger trips throughout the seven days, averaging 300 million journeys daily. Earlier indicators already signalled robust demand, highlighted by railway passenger trips on 1 October alone reaching 25.2 million, which established a new single-day record.
To accommodate this surge in demand, transport authorities have expanded train services on congested routes and waived highway tolls for private motorists throughout the holiday period. Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism initiated a month-long national tourism promotion campaign in late September to maintain momentum.
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Across the country, local authorities are hosting more than 20,000 distinct events encompassing scenic excursions, autumn outings, red tourism, study tours, nocturnal activities, and local culinary experiences, Xinhua reports.
These initiatives are designed to diversify premium tourism offerings while simultaneously distributing roughly 310 million yuan in consumer vouchers and subsidies throughout the month to stimulate ongoing tourism consumption.
