Beijing, September 22 - By taking three days off before and after this year's National Day holiday, travelers can create a 16-day extended vacation period. A report released by Meituan Travel on September 22 shows that as of September 22, National Day cultural and tourism bookings have increased 73% year-over-year, with "border gate scenic area" searches rising 40% compared to the same period last year.
Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, Yunnan, Guangxi, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia have emerged as popular provinces for border gate tourism and port city travel, with Xinjiang's National Day cultural tourism order volume growth reaching 103%.
Data indicates that with China implementing visa-free policies for Russian visitors, border cities like Heihe and Suifenhe in Heilongjiang Province continue to experience strong momentum, attracting tourists from across the country to experience diverse cultural integration "without leaving the country." Since September 1, searches for "Heihe hotels" have surged 325% year-over-year, while "Heihe cuisine" popularity has increased 336%. As of September 22, Heihe's National Day cultural tourism orders have risen 73% compared to last year.
"Border gate tourism" has boosted nearby hotel bookings. According to Meituan Travel data, since September 1, searches for "hotels near Yunnan Mohan Port" have increased 417% year-over-year; searches for "hotels near Xinjiang Khorgos Port" have risen 263%; searches for "hotels near Inner Mongolia Erenhot Border Gate Scenic Area" have surged 700%; and searches for "hotels near Guangxi Dongxing Port" have increased 175%.
In the era of cultural-tourism integration, the innovative "cultural tourism + various industries" model provides young people with convenient one-stop travel experiences. During the National Day holiday, cultural relic tourism, archaeological tourism, museum tourism, and industrial tourism continue to gain popularity. Museums have become focal points of tourist interest, driving increased searches for hotels and dining within a 3-kilometer radius.
Data shows that since September 1, searches for "hotels near Luoyang Museum" have increased over 700% year-over-year, while "hotels near Qingdao Beer Museum" popularity has risen 272%. Searches for "dining near Xi'an Beilin Museum" and "dining near Sanxingdui Museum" have both increased more than 150%.
Meituan Travel data also indicates that this year's National Day holiday travel peak is expected to run from September 27 through October 12. The top 10 destinations with the highest cultural tourism growth rates are: Hainan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, Guangdong, Tibet, Anhui, Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai.
A Meituan Travel representative stated that "cultural-tourism integration" has become a major travel trend during the National Day holiday. "Cultural tourism + various industries" has sparked interest in more travel destinations, with new activities continuously emerging. From China's "four poles" to border town morning markets, from the glass seas of the Xisha Islands to Dariyaboyi Village in the Taklamakan Desert, from Rongbuk Monastery at the foot of Mount Everest to China's lowest terrestrial point at Turpan's Ayding Lake, post-2000 young travelers are venturing further and experiencing deeper cultural immersion.
Emerging tourism models such as industrial tourism and sports tourism are attracting visitors to extend their stays by an additional night, driving comprehensive upgrades in local tourism, dining, and leisure entertainment offerings. Meituan Travel will collaborate with more premium hotels, scenic parks, airlines, and travel agencies to provide quality National Day offerings while identifying more destinations and route experiences that showcase the integrated development of agriculture, culture, sports, tourism, and commerce to support the tourism market's quality enhancement and upgrading.