700 million trips to be expected in ‘Golden Week’

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More than 700 million trips to hit the road and go traveling during China's eight-day National Day vacation, according to a tourism industry report.

It is estimated that from October 1 to 8, more than 700 million trips are expected to be made across the country, generating around 590 billion yuan (88.7 billion US dollars) in revenue for the tourism sector.

Meanwhile, six million have their sights set on foreign destinations, according to a joint report released by the China Tourism Academy and online travel service provider Ctrip.com International Ltd.

The number of trips overseas is on the up thanks to China’s consumption upgrading and strong yuan.

Chinese tourists booked "Golden Week" trips to 88 countries and regions, compared with only 68 in the same period last year, according to data from Ctrip.

And the choice of overseas destinations has also seen some changes.

Countries in Southeast Asia have grown in popularity among Chinese visitors while the number of Chinese heading to South Korea, previously a top destination, has dropped, attributed to tensions between the two countries over South Korea's decision to deploy the controversial THAAD anti-missile shield.

The joint report estimates the number of visitors going to South Korea will drop by around 70% compared to last year's figures.

For independent travelers who prefer a more DIY vacation, many are choosing to head to European countries, according to overseas travel destination rankings sent to CGTN on Tuesday by Qyer.com, a Chinese self-service travel website.

Six out of the top 10 destinations on the list are in Europe, with countries such as Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland seeing strong growth among of Chinese visitors.

Chinese visitors are also becoming increasingly willing to splash the cash during their trips.

In the past 12 months, average spending during overseas travel was around 24,945 yuan (3,749 US dollars), accounting for a quarter of the average income, according to Chinese International Travel Monitor 2017, a report released by Hotels.com in July.

To attract visitors with strong purchasing power, many countries have started catering specifically to Chinese tourists, including offering Chinese language services and adopting mobile payment tools.

In September, Alipay, one of China’s leading mobile payment platforms, announced cooperation with partners in Finland, Sweden and Singapore to expand merchant networks in these regions.