During the National Day holiday, mobile communication big data platforms project a 5% year-over-year daily average increase in overall traveler numbers compared to the same period last year.
In 2026, people are clearly traveling farther, with long-distance trips gaining popularity. Where did everyone go during this holiday? Data analysis and forecasting from China Mobile's Wutong platform suggest that the extended break will drive long-distance travel. Domestically, the number of tourists traveling over 1,000 kilometers is expected to rise 9% year-over-year, with destinations like Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Inner Mongolia anticipated to see visitor growth exceeding 12%. On social platforms, discussions around topics such as National Day travel, long-distance trips, and autumn foliage tours have increased 38% in popularity compared to the previous week. Li Guanzhou, Deputy General Manager of the Data Delivery Center at China Mobile's Digital Intelligence Business Unit, noted that online booking platforms saw peak usage before the holiday. Analysis of nationwide mobile app usage revealed that daily active users for performance ticketing, transportation booking, and travel apps grew 29%, 25%, and 32%, respectively, compared to ordinary days.
Big data also analyzed offline consumption during the National Day holiday, projecting a 4% increase in foot traffic at key commercial districts nationwide compared to the same period in 2025, with online platform payment transactions expected to grow 8% year-over-year. Hourly analysis of foot traffic trends in major shopping areas showed that 6 PM to 8 PM is the peak period. During the holiday, the number of shoppers in key commercial districts after 6 PM is expected to rise 16% compared to the same period in 2025. Among them, people under 40 are the main consumers, with commercial districts in Guangdong, Shanghai, Hunan, and Chongqing showing higher activity levels.
Mobile big data forecasts travel and consumption during the National Day holiday. Where to go for the holiday? Communication big data platforms use large models to focus on travel and consumption hotspots, combined with AI agents for analysis and prediction. Mobile signaling, travel trajectories, and platform bookings are among the big data records capturing ordinary people's holiday information on clothing, food, accommodation, and transportation. Overlaying this massive data onto maps creates a picture of holiday travel and consumption.
From October 2 to 5, scenic spots will see peak visitor flows. Starting from September 25, light points representing travel began appearing on the map. Broken down by time, major scenic areas will experience peak traffic from October 2 to 5. Within each day, 1 PM to 4 PM is the most concentrated period for visitor flows.
Extended holidays through leave stacking lengthen travel windows and increase long-distance trips. The movement lines extending from the map intuitively reflect a change: people are traveling farther this holiday, with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day combined leave stacking extending travel windows. China Mobile's Wutong data, combined with AI intelligent analysis, found that long-distance trips over 500 kilometers increased 11% compared to the same period in 2025. Transportation routes like Shanghai to Beijing, Chengdu to Xi'an, Shenzhen to Changsha, and Beijing to Shenyang show active personnel exchanges.
Long-distance travel drives on-site consumption, with out-of-town car rentals gaining favor. Far-distance travel directly boosts on-site service consumption. In regions like Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, and Xinjiang, out-of-town car rentals have become a choice for many in-depth travelers, with daily active users on car rental apps growing 43% on average compared to the same period in 2025. Wherever travel extends, consumption vitality is unleashed.
Primary and secondary school autumn breaks spur family and parent-child travel. In the overall travel and consumption picture, family trips are a prominent part, with autumn breaks in primary and secondary schools generating a large number of parent-child outings. The number of tourists departing from Hangzhou increased 40% compared to 2025, with over half being family trips.
Avoiding popular check-in spots and turning to remote places with fewer crowds and beautiful scenery. Not everyone flocks to popular check-in destinations. By combining全网 searches and destination reservation information, another group's travel choices become visible. Places like Arxan in Inner Mongolia, Daocheng in Sichuan, Yanbian in Jilin, and Altay in Xinjiang—vast areas with few people and stunning scenery—are favored by travelers seeking a relaxed travel experience.
Inbound tourism is shifting from first-tier cities to distinctive small towns. Immersive interactive experiences at red tourism sites have boosted inbound tourism. It is expected that at Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial sites and Zunyi Loushanguan scenic areas, foreign tourists will account for up to 6%. Foreign tourist growth in Yibin (Sichuan), Anqing (Anhui), Zhangjiajie (Hunan), and Ili (Xinjiang) is projected to exceed 55%. Inbound tourism is expanding from first-tier cities to distinctive small towns.
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