Surge in Travelers During China's National Day Holiday
Average Daily Cross-Border Travelers Exceed 2 Million
During China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival "Golden Week" holiday (October 1-8), the 1.4 billion Chinese population has flocked to major tourist destinations and small cities around the world, resulting in unexpected congestion in many places.
On the 7th, Chinese media outlet Geukmok News Agency reported in an article titled "The World Has Learned That Chinese People Are on Vacation" that tourist attractions in various countries are overflowing with Chinese travelers.
For example, in Norway's northern Lofoten Islands, which have a population of only about 20,000, an influx of Chinese tourists led to unprecedented traffic jams. A tourist from Guangdong Province who visited the area reported that there were long lines at Chinese restaurants on the island and that Mandarin could be heard everywhere.
A similar scene unfolded in Sydney, Australia. A tourist from Shanghai said, "It was difficult to find a spot to take photos near the Opera House," and added, "On three whale-watching tour boats, only the captains were locals; everyone else was Chinese."
Even at the world-renowned diving site Palau Blue Hole, a video showing the waters below the surface crowded with Chinese tourists has gone viral, with Chinese netizens commenting, "It seems there are more people than fish."
In Korea, the implementation of a visa-free policy for Chinese group tourists from September 29 has led to a noticeable increase in Chinese visitors in areas such as Myeongdong and Seongsu-dong in Seoul. Major airports, including Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, have also been crowded with Chinese tourists, with some reports stating that it took over two hours just to clear immigration.
Meanwhile, according to China's National Immigration Administration, the average daily number of cross-border travelers during this Golden Week holiday surpassed 2 million. Travel booking site Qunar announced that Chinese tourists booked airline tickets to 599 cities worldwide during this holiday period.
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