International travel set to surge for National Day holiday
Travel agent data indicates that historically high numbers of Chinese citizens plan to spend a portion of the National Day holiday overseas.
Representatives of the Ctrip travel agency noted that the number of visa applications for the fall holiday are up by 50 percent year-on-year.
The surge in international travel comes as an increasing number of countries allow Chinese citizens to visit without a visa or to receive a visa-on-arrival. A total of 73 countries accept Chinese tourists without a visa, an increase of eight countries in the last year. The new countries include Barbados, Belarus and the United Arab Emirates.
Ctrip booking data suggests that the most popular visa-free destinations this year include countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia. Second-tier international cities have also experienced a surge in popularity.
By Hu Yingjian, Wendy Shi
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