Guangdong province reported 62.79 million tourist arrivals and 58.44 billion yuan ($8.73 billion) in revenue during the 2026 National Day holiday from October 1 to 7, according to the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Visitor arrivals from outside the province reached 9.95 million, up 21.6 percent year-on-year, while daily inbound tourist numbers increased 17.3 percent compared to the previous year.
Guangzhou Drives Tourism Growth with Over 2,000 Activities
The city of Guangzhou attracted 16.05 million tourists during the holiday, who spent 14.5 billion yuan on cultural and tourism services. More than 2,000 cultural and tourism events were organized in the city, boosting tourist arrivals by 5.5
percent and tourism consumption by 5.9 percent year-on-year. Night tourism was a major feature, highlighted by the “A River of Pearls, A Guangzhou Painting Scroll” light show on the Pearl River waterfront.
Additional cultural offerings in Guangzhou included themed light shows at Guangzhou Tower, as well as family-focused programs and traditional performances which enhanced visitor experiences during the holiday period.
Cultural Venues and Digital Technology Enhance Visitor Engagement
Four Guangdong art institutions—among them the Guangdong Museum of Art and Guangzhou Museum of Art—ranked among China’s top 10 most popular art museums during the holiday, reflecting strong public interest. The use of digital technology expanded cultural tourism through AI-generated
art, digital exhibitions, and intelligent services, providing new interactive experiences for visitors across the Greater Bay Area.
Zhuhai and Huizhou Integrate Heritage into Tourism
Zhuhai combined coastal tourism with intangible cultural heritage acts, including the Sanzao Crane Dance, Qianshan Fengji Dance, and Shatian folk songs along island routes. The city recorded 3.1 million tourist arrivals, with daily visitor numbers rising 18.1 percent year-on-year during the holiday.
In Huizhou, the Nankun Mountain-Luofu Mountain tourism pilot zone presented a 218-kilometer route blending natural landscapes with cultural heritage activities. The region’s counties and districts attracted 2.62 million visitors, with average daily arrivals increasing 8.3 percent year-on-year amid the holiday period.
