Tourists swamp Great Wall of China on country’s national day

Tens of thousands of tourists swarmed to the Great Wall of China on October 1 as the nation kicked off the week-long public holiday.

Nearly 37,000 tourists flooded Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall in Beijing yesterday alone, causing bottlenecks at various locations.

Video footage taken at the jam-packed historic attraction shows frustrated visitors standing elbow to elbow amid a sea of people. 

Video footage taken yesterday at Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall in Beijing, shows frustrated visitors standing elbow to elbow amid a sea of people

Video footage taken yesterday at Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall in Beijing, shows frustrated visitors standing elbow to elbow amid a sea of people

Nearly 37,000 tourists flooded the historic attraction, causing bottlenecks at various locations

Nearly 37,000 tourists flooded the historic attraction, causing bottlenecks at various locations

The tourist hotspot is expected to receive an even high number of guests over the next couple of days as the country celebrates the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, according to Beijing News. 

Elsewhere, bus and train terminals across the country are filled to the brim, as seen in pictures captured in Guangdong, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou. 

Thousands of tourists were also seen at other landmarks, including Shanghai’s The Bund and Hangzhou’s West Lake.  

The 'Golden Week' holiday is a peak season for Chinese people to go on domestic and international trips, making it the country's second largest annual human migration

About 122 million  people travelled around the country on Monday, a 7.54 per cent year-on-year growth, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

The ‘Golden Week’ holiday is a peak season for Chinese people to go on domestic and international trips, making it the country’s second largest annual human migration

The tourist hotspot is expected to receive an even high number of guests over the next couple of days as the country celebrates its National Day, according to Beijing News

The tourist hotspot is expected to receive an even high number of guests over the next couple of days as the country celebrates its National Day, according to Beijing News

The seven-day holiday, also known as the ‘Golden Week’, is a peak season for Chinese people to go on domestic and international trips, making it the country’s second largest annual human migration following the Spring Festival.

About 122 million people travelled around the country on Monday, a 7.54 per cent year-on-year growth, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in a news release. 

Domestic tourism revenue generated on Monday reached 103 billion yuan (£12 billion), up 7.19 per cent year on year, the authority added.    

Badaling is located 80 kilometres north-west of urban Beijing city in Yanqing District

Badaling is located 80 kilometres north-west of urban Beijing city in Yanqing District

On the other hand, it is estimated that nearly seven million mainland tourists will travel abroad, accounting for about 5 per cent of the total number of outbound tourists throughout the year, according to China Daily citing Chinese online travel agency Ctrip.

Japan is this year’s top choice for Chinese tourists, followed by Thailand and Hong Kong.

The country kicked off its National Day celebrations with a special flag-raising ceremony at Tian’anmen Square during sunrise and official fireworks last night.

China’s State Council held a reception at the Great Hall of the People on Sunday, hosted by Party and state leaders Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang and attended by more than 1,200 Chinese and foreign guests.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk