Holiday travel to see around 2 billion cross-regional trips

China is poised to experience an estimated 1.94 billion cross-regional trips during the upcoming week-long National Day holiday, starting Tuesday, Li Yang, vice-minister for transport, said in Beijing on Friday.

This translates to an average of 277 million daily trips, reflecting a 0.7 percent increase from last year and a significant 19.4 percent rise compared to 2019.

Notably, around 80 percent of these journeys will be made via self-driving vehicles, amounting to about 1.53 billion road trips. The remaining 20 percent will utilize commercial public transportation options, including trains, planes, and ferries.

Family travel is expected to dominate domestic tourism, with inter-provincial trips becoming increasingly common. Anticipated popular destinations include major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Chongqing and the provinces of Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Sichuan. In terms of international travel, neighboring Southeast Asian countries are forecast to attract a significant number of travelers.

As the holiday approaches, Li emphasized that the transportation sector is prepared to meet the anticipated challenges, aiming to fulfill traveler expectations and government mandates. Preparations are already underway to implement effective travel support plans designed to enhance safety and convenience for all holiday travelers.