“The Whole World Knows China Is on Holiday”: Chinese Tourists Are Everywhere

A phrase shot to the top of Chinese social media on October 2: “The whole world knows Chinese people are on holiday.” 

From coastal viewpoints in Australia to trains in Italy and popular restaurants in London, Chinese travelers say they keep running into people following almost exactly the same holiday routes.

Some joked that after flying thousands of kilometers, they could still understand nearly every conversation around them.

Australia—or the Bund during Golden Week?

A video filmed at a well-known coastal attraction in Australia showed a packed observation walkway, with many Chinese tourists stopping to take photos.

The man who posted it, identified as Mr. Wang, told Chinese media that the video was recorded on September 28 , before the National Day holiday had officially begun.

Wang, who has lived in Australia for years, estimated that Chinese visitors made up as much as 90% of the crowd at some popular attractions. That figure was his personal observation rather than an official visitor count.

He compared the scene to Shanghai’s Bund: apart from the staff, it seemed as though nearly everyone around him was speaking Chinese.

      Tourists gather near another Australian attraction. Image: social media, reproduced by National Business Daily    

A Shanghai traveler found the same thing in Italy

On October 2, a 28-year-old traveler from Shanghai was aboard a train from Florence to Rome when she spoke to Beijing News Radio.

She had left Shanghai on September 27 and traveled from Venice to the Dolomites, then to Florence and Rome. She had expected the Dolomites to be a less common choice—but found Chinese travelers throughout the route.

“There are so many Chinese tourists around me that it almost feels like I haven’t gone abroad,” she told the broadcaster.

Leaving early did not help in London

Another 28-year-old traveler, from Guangdong, left for London on September 22. She had hoped that departing early would help her avoid the holiday rush.

Instead, she kept meeting Chinese travelers at restaurants recommended on social media—often following the same online guides and ordering the same dishes.

      Chinese travelers documented similar crowds across several overseas destinations. Image: social media, reproduced by National Business Daily    

Why are Chinese travelers appearing everywhere?

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays were separated by only three working days. Employees who took those three days off could create a break lasting as long as 13 consecutive days —enough time for a long-haul trip.

Qunar said holiday travel-product bookings on its platform covered more than 3,800 cities worldwide. Bookings for flights longer than 8,000 kilometers increased by around 30%, while Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia remained popular nearby choices.