This increase in outlays for the 2026 holiday was attributed primarily to higher transport and lodging costs, Bhatt said. Airfares, in particular, have edged up due to fuel surcharges driven by shortages of oil and gas shipped through the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
On Wednesday, the National Immigration Administration said border agents handled 11.28 million entries and exits, averaging 2.26 million per day, or a year-on-year increase of 3.5 per cent. The number of foreign nationals entering and leaving the country reached about 1.26 million – a 12.5 per cent increase over last year’s break.
The May Day break is one of China’s three extended public holidays. The other so-called golden weeks coincide with National Day in October and the Chinese New Year, which falls sometime in the first two calendar months. Chinese officials often see the holidays as chances to stimulate otherwise soft consumption.
Holidaymakers spent judiciously this past week by picking concerts, self-drive trips and cultural activities, Bhatt said. He noted that smaller Chinese cities excelled by using lower costs to draw visitors.
And the hunt for value is increasingly pushing travellers towards international options that offer exotic appeal at bargain prices.
Overseas, half-day snorkelling trips in Zanzibar start at US$45, according to the Scuba Fish Dive Centre located on the Indian Ocean island that is part of Tanzania. A stay at a Kyrgyz guest house costs as little as US$10 per night.
“The market is stronger in both volume and value, but the consumer remains highly value-conscious,” Bhatt said.
Enoch Lin, a 49-year-old compliance professional from Shanghai, visited the Nepal Himalayas with friends this month, opting for a budget-friendly group trek over the usual family-of-four vacation. He saved further by buying outdoor gear through a local e-commerce platform rather than abroad.