The Chinese mainland experienced a monumental surge in domestic travel during the recent five-day May Day holiday, with passenger numbers reaching historic heights. According to data released by the Ministry of Transport, the total volume of cross-regional passenger trips is estimated to have surpassed 1.5 billion, reflecting robust internal demand and a vibrant travel culture.
On average, the holiday period saw over 300 million trips per day, marking a 4% increase compared to the previous year. The travel momentum remained strong through the end of the break; on May 5, the final day of the holiday, inter-regional trips reached 290 million, representing an 8% rise year on year.
While various modes of transport were utilized to navigate the region, road travel remained the overwhelmingly dominant choice for millions of residents. On May 5 alone, road trips surged 8% to 263.7 million. Railway travel also showed significant growth, contributing 23 million trips on the final day, a 9% increase from the same period last year.
Other transportation sectors showed varying trends. Waterway passenger traffic grew slightly by 1.4%, reaching 1.035 million trips on the holiday's closing day. Meanwhile, civil aviation handled 2.3 million trips on May 5, a marginal decline of 0.7% year on year.
For business professionals and market analysts, these figures underscore the resilience and scale of the domestic tourism sector within the Chinese mainland, highlighting a consistent preference for road-based mobility and a strong appetite for regional exploration.
Reference(s):
China's May Day travel set to smash record with over 1.5 bln trips
cgtn.com
