China's longest holiday of the year, the eight-day Golden Week break, is expected to boost travel bookings.

The holiday combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day event, and is scheduled for 1 October to 7 October 2023.

According to Trip.com Group, outbound travel orders have increased nearly 20-fold, and domestic travel is set to increase more than four times over the Golden Week period 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

This Golden Week is China’s first long holiday since the resumption of international travel following the lifting of the Covid-19 ban on international group tours.

During the National Day holiday, overall orders have increased nearly 20 times year-on-year with popular countries for outbound travel including Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the UK.

More bespoke and previously unvisited destinations are also on the rise for this holiday, with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sri Lanka and Kenya experiencing the highest increase in group tour orders compared with the same period before the pandemic.

Globally, the volume of five-star bookings for the Golden Week period has surged compared to the same period in 2022: in Southeast Asia by 562%, in the Middle East by 559%, and in Europe by 379%.

In Europe, the volume of first-class and business-class flight seats has also increased by 300% for 2023's Golden Week period, compared to the same period in 2022.

CEO of Trip.com Group Jane Sun commented: “This year's holiday season reflects a strong desire among travellers for unique and immersive experiences. Travellers are not just exploring popular destinations but also seeking authentic and off-the-beaten-path experiences."