STUDY: The top five destinations for Chinese tourists during Golden Week

Sydney, Australia - February 10, 2019: Tourist and holiday makers enjoying sunny day at Circular Quay near  Opera House with the view of Harbour Bridge and Luna park at Milsons Point

Australia remains among the top five destinations globally for Chinese travellers during the Asian country’s week-long national holiday, according to new research.

The study, conducted by mobile payment platform Alipay, found that Australia remained the fifth most popular destination globally for Chinese travellers during Golden Week (from 1 October to 7 October) this year, based on transaction volume.

Alipay, which is used by 99 per cent of Chinese visitors (according to a 2018 Nielsen study), saw overall transaction volume grow 25 per cent in Australia compared to last year’s corresponding week.

This was driven by strong growth in the luxury retail sector, and solid performances by airport and duty-free stores, pharmacies, and merchants in popular tourist destinations such as Chinatown and the Sydney Fish Market, according to the study.

However, the report noted that Australia’s growth slowed relative to markets across Europe and Southeast Asia, as tourists opted for an increasingly varied range of destinations including Iceland, Montenegro and Uzbekistan.

Japan overtook Thailand to become the most popular Chinese tourist destination for Golden Week, based on Alipay transaction volume, for the first time. South Korea, Malaysia and Australia rounded out the top five.

Despite its transaction volume increasing 40 per cent year-on-year, New Zealand was leapfrogged by The Philippines and Cambodia to fall two spots to 13th.

There was also a generational shift to the data, with the number of Chinese travellers born in or after 2000 using Alipay during Golden Week increasing by 130 per cent.

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]