China's tourism flourished during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, driven by local authorities introducing fresh cultural and travel offerings to cater to diverse consumer preferences, including scenic attractions, regional cuisine, and live entertainment.
Data from travel platforms showed a surge in multi-city bookings, with the proportion of users reserving trips to two or more destinations rising over 20 percent year on year.
Domestic hotel bookings climbed more than 65 percent from the previous year, while reservations for stays of two nights or longer rose by over 52 percent.
High-frequency local excursions and long-distance travel across multiple provinces were among the most popular choices.
Rural tourism continued to gain traction, with more than 30 districts and counties recording hotel booking growth exceeding 100 percent compared to the same period last year.
"The family travel becomes a new trend, and families are venturing farther. Second, we are seeing increased travel frequency. By integrating intangible cultural heritage or concerts with tourism, local governments are constantly enhancing their holiday offerings," said Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Research Institute.
China sees tourist boom during eight-day holiday
China sees tourist boom during eight-day holiday
China sees tourist boom during eight-day holiday
The European Commission's autumn 2025 economic forecast shows that driven by a surge in exports in anticipation of U.S. tariff increases, the European Union's (EU) economy maintained growth in the third quarter of this year, and it is expected to continue expanding at a moderate pace over the forecast horizon.
In the report released on Monday, the Commission said the gross domestic product (GDP) of the EU is expected to grow 1.4 percent in 2025, with the eurozone expanding 1.3 percent. Growth in 2026 is forecast at 1.4 percent for the EU and 1.2 percent for the eurozone, both slightly lower than projections made in May.
Eurozone headline inflation is projected to ease to 2.1 percent this year from 2.4 percent in 2024. Inflation across the EU is seen declining from 2.6 percent in 2024 to 2.2 percent in 2027, remaining slightly above the eurozone rate.
Due to the increase in defence spending, the EU's fiscal deficit is expected to rise to 3.4 percent of GDP in 2027 from 3.1 percent in 2024. The EU debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise from 84.5 percent in 2024 to 85 percent in 2027, with the eurozone ratio set to rise from around 88 percent to 90.4 percent.
The forecast noted that globally, trade barriers have reached historic highs, and the EU now faces higher average tariffs on exports to the U.S. compared with the spring forecast. Persistent trade policy uncertainty continues to weigh on economic activity, with tariffs and non-tariff restrictions potentially constraining EU growth more than expected. Any escalation in geopolitical tensions could intensify supply shocks, it noted.
EU expects economy to expand moderately
