Domestic tourism booms during Mid-Autumn Festival

The three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday — from Sunday to Tuesday, embraced a short-distance travel boom for family reunions and full moon appreciating.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said on Wednesday that domestic tourism destinations received about 107 million visits, up 6.3 percent of that in 2019 — before the COVID-19 epidemic hit.

Travelers' expenses during the holiday reached over 51 billion yuan ($7.19 billion), rising 8 percent compared with the same period in 2019. The holiday also lasted three days in mid-September of 2019.

Folk activities with strong Chinese vibes including lantern fairs, fire dragon dance and appreciating full moons are favored by travelers over the holiday. Museums and theaters are also popular destinations, according to the ministry.

The ministry added that most travelers chose short-distance tours by taking high-speed trains or self-driving allowing for a shorter length of vacation.