"It's hard to see and experience such down-to-earth village scenery and life in cities, and it's also a good place for my child to learn about crops and experience the atmosphere of the harvest," said Yang, who lives in Beijing.

　　Online travel agency Qunar said that county and village destinations dominated its top 10 hot spots during the holiday, including Gexian and Huangling villages in Jiangxi province, as well as Jiuzhaigou, a nature reserve and national park in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

　　Chinese people's strong appetite for travel and consumption has also extended to overseas destinations, particularly those which are further afield.

　　A report jointly released by Tuniu and China Mobile on Wednesday showed that visits by Chinese travelers to Canada, South Korea and the Netherlands doubled during the National Day holiday, while trips to Turkiye and Morocco registered year-on-year growth of more than 50 percent.

　　Li Xu, a Beijing resident who traveled to South Korea from Friday to Monday, said he saw many Chinese travelers in Seoul, adding that it really was a "golden week" for tourism. Several of his friends extended their holidays and visited Europe during the break, he added.

　　Yang Han, an analyst at Qunar, said that the nation's more flexible arrangements for taking leave allow people to plan their vacations in more varied ways, which may help reduce travel costs, improve travel experiences and stimulate consumption at destinations.

　　chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn

Passengers go through ticket checks to enter Lianyungang Railway Station in Jiangsu province on Wednesday as the National Day holiday drew to a close. GENG YUHE / FOR CHINA DAILY