Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily（Reporter Yao Gang）news：On September 23, 2025, Ctrip released its 2025 National Day holiday travel forecast data. The report indicates that travel-related searches for Xinjiang increased by 60 percent, and bookings grew by 81 percent year-on-year. Thanks to its characteristic golden autumn scenery and diverse cultural tourism experiences, Xinjiang ranks among the nation's top popular tourist destinations for the National Day holiday.

Photo taken on September 19, 2025 shows tourists at the Kezijar Lake Scenic Spot in Wusu City， northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Fan Chunhai)

Data shows that Xinjiang's overall tourism orders increased by 81 percent year-on-year. Popular scenic areas during the National Day period include Kanas, Hemu Village, Tianshan Tianchi, Sayram Lake, Jiangbulake Grassland Sceneic Spot, Nalati Grassland Scenic Spot, Kalajun Grassland Scenic Spot, Keketuohai Scenic Spot, Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, and Tianshan Grand Canyon; the Poplar Forest Park in southern Xinjiang has also become an important choice for visitors.

Since autumn, enjoying autumn scenery, experiencing folk customs, and visiting cultural museums have become mainstream tourism activities in Xinjiang. The Kanas Scenic Spot received widespread praise from tourists for its "stunning autumn colors" and "golden fairy tale" landscapes, with related reviews accounting for 80 percent of the total. The view composed of the autumn birch forest and Kanas Lake has become a popular check-in spot. The Luntai County Tarim Poplar Forest Park launched a "Golden Autumn Poplar Forest Walk" event, with searches for related products increasing by 130 percent compared to pre-holiday levels, proving particularly popular among family tourists. Bookings for the Nalati Grassland horseback riding project increased by over 100 percent year-on-year. Experiences such as handicraft workshops in the ancient city of Kashi, the city gate opening ceremony, and the Meshrep performances at the Dolan Tribe in Awat County were highly favored. As popular cultural museum destinations, the Xinjiang Museum and the Turpan Jiaohe Ancient City both saw an 80 percent increase in bookings. Furthermore, page views for cultural theme itineraries including intangible cultural heritage performances and folk experience activities on Ctrip rose by 270 percent year-on-year.

Self-driving tours have become the preferred travel mode for tourists. During the National Day holiday, car rental orders in Xinjiang grew by 85 percent year-on-year, with driving cars as soon as arriving becoming the primary way for tourists to explore Xinjiang. Customized tour products for classic routes like the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway and the Yining-Zhaosu Highway accounted for over 40 percent of bookings, and hybrid travel models combining "segmented self-driving + flight transfers" are gradually gaining popularity.

Photo taken on September 10, 2025 shows the 2025 “Walk Around China” Sports, Fitness and Leisure Series of events kick off at the horse racing track in Nalatt Scenic Spot. A total of 247 walking enthusiasts from 31 teams across the country gathered on the grassland to embark on a walking journey that combines sports and scenery. (Photo by Zhang Wenting)

This year's National Day holiday in Xinjiang's tourism market also shows a clear trend of off-peak travel, with orders for visits to popular scenic spots after October 4 accounting for 45 percent of the total. Bookings for flights to regional airports such as Altay and Kashi increased significantly, and 76 percent of tourists chose to travel to Xinjiang via discounted flights for self-driving tours in the week following the holiday. Hotels and homestays near scenic spots launched off-peak discount packages, resulting in a 60 percent year-on-year increase in bookings. In-depth tour products were also popular, with customized tours covering the northern and southern Xinjiang loop accounting for over 50 percent of orders. Bookings for "six yo eight day small group tours" and "10-day or longer in-depth tours" increased by 95 percent and 120 percent, respectively.

County-level tourism emerged as a new highlight. Zepu County in Kashi Prefecture, Yuli County in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, and Habahe County and Qinghe County in Altay Prefecture, attracted a large number of tourists with their unique resources, and searches for nearby hotels in these counties saw year-on-year growth exceeding 200 percent. Habahe County introduced new tourism formats such as low-altitude flights and horseback riding experiences, while Qinghe County hosted the "Around Qinggeli" fitness run, further enriching county-level tourism content.

Ctrip data also indicates that tourism in Xinjiang is transitioning from the "sightseeing era" to the "experience era." Bookings for tourism products including intangible cultural heritage experiences and cultural workshops increased by 150 percent year-on-year. "Hotel + scenic spot experience" products were well-received, and value-added services such as "stargazing" and "grassland picnics" offered by some high-end homestays saw a significant rise in bookings. Bookings for pet-friendly hotels increased by 35 percent year-on-year.

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