‘Joy economy’ drives Golden Week, Mid-Autumn holiday demand
From border cities to pop culture parks, emotional value and companionship are reshaping travel trends.
This post was originally written by Nüora Global Managing Partner Crystal Tai for Jing Daily.
Ctrip’s latest 2025 National Day (October 1) tourism forecast points to a robust uptick in domestic demand. Ahead of China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and Golden Week, the Chinese travel platform reported interprovincial travel orders climbing 45% year-on-year.
Long-haul destinations such as Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia are also rising in popularity, with hotel searches up 60%, fueled by demand from top-tier and fast-rising first-tier cities.
The Jing Take #
Ctrip’s latest findings highlight a paradigm shift in consumer priorities: Travelers are seeking experiences that deliver emotional connection, time efficiency, and cost-effectiveness rather than conventional or social media and clout-based sightseeing.
Over this year, analysts have described this momentum as coinciding with China’s growing “joy economy,” in which consumers prioritize leisure experiences that spark creativity, nostalgia, and play.
Recent cultural attractions are at the center of this trend: Pop Mart’s Pop Land, featuring hit IPs such as Labubu, and Legoland Shanghai, which opened in July 2025, are drawing younger audiences and families.
This dovetails with the rapid rise of emotional consumption. As Jing Daily has reported, within China’s “companionship economy,” connection itself has become a paid service. Tourists are hiring cosplay partners for theme park visits or booking hiking companions (陪爬) for solo treks, with some providers earning over 300,000 RMB ($41,600) annually. These services deliver not just companionship but also added value such as photography, guidance, and personalized support, heightening the overall experience.
While emotional consumption is creating new business opportunities across leisure and tourism, it also raises questions about safety, regulation, and ethical boundaries.
Still, the learnings are clear: Emotional value has become a central driver in China’s holiday economy. As Golden Week (October 1-8) approaches, travel is no longer simply about destinations, but about meaningful, memorable, and emotionally resonant experiences.