STORY: China's 8-day National Day holiday sparks travel, consumption frenzy
DATELINE: Sept. 30, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:09
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of travelers in China
2. various of tourists in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Tourist
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Tourist
5. various of tourists in Yanji, Jilin Province
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LU ZIYU, Owner of a photography studio in Yanji
7. various of tourists in Mount Tai, Shandong Province
8. various of travelers in China

STORYLINE:

China is embracing a travel boom over the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, as the world's second-largest economy continues to unleash consumer potential.

This year's holiday began with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and also includes the Oct. 1 National Day. The public holidays end on Oct. 6.

Cultural travel has been a top choice for many Chinese. In Jingdezhen, a "porcelain capital" in Jiangxi Province, tourists are flocking here to experience the rich historical and cultural heritage and join porcelain-making with their own hands.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Tourist
"We came from Fuzhou of Fujian Province. There is a lot of culture here, and it's just so beautiful."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Tourist
"We came from Hangzhou City, yes, the whole family."

In the northeastern border city of Yanji, donning traditional Korean costumes has emerged as a new fashion in the local tourism. It also boosted various local businesses, including makeup, photography, and clothing.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): LU ZIYU, Owner of a photography studio in Yanji
"Tourism in Yanji has been booming since the beginning of the New Year. We have been welcoming tourists from all over the country to our hometown. Through our travel photography business, we aim to showcase the ethnic culture and elements of the local Korean ethnic group, offering customers a richer and better travel experience."

While new travel destinations see a travel boom, traditional scenic spots remain as popular as ever. 

For the eight-day holiday, Mount Tai, one of China's Five Sacred Mountains, is expecting to host 400,000 tourists.

In Beijing, it is estimated that the city will welcome 12.83 million tourists, marking a significant increase of 21.9% compared to the same period in 2019.

According to Alibaba's travel platform Fliggy, orders for domestic and overseas trips during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday surged nearly 600 percent and more than 20 times year on year, respectively.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)