BUSINESS

China’s Service Industry Sales Jump Nearly 20% During Holiday

Published: Oct. 9, 2026 2:47 a.m. GMT+8

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Visitors crowd the Huaihe Road pedestrian street in Hefei on Friday. Photo: VCG

China’s service industry sales revenue jumped 19.5% year-on-year during the National Day holiday, fueled by a nationwide surge in travel and entertainment spending.

Tourism and entertainment sales rose 23.6% from a year earlier, while restaurant, culture and sports services grew 9%, 20.9% and 29.4%, respectively, according to data released Tuesday by the State Taxation Administration.

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Service industry sales during National Day holiday rose 19.5% YoY; tourism/entertainment +23.6%, sports +29.4%, culture +20.9%.
Government trade-in subsidies generated 33.5 billion yuan in sales from 6.4 million visits; AI robot sales surged 130% and smartphone sales rose 119.8%.
Lower-tier cities drew travelers, with attraction searches up 258%; Haidilao recorded ~2 million dine-ins on Oct 1, and Xiaocaiyuan dine-in revenue grew 13.5%.

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Who’s Who

Haidilao International Holding Ltd.: Haidilao International Holding Ltd., a hotpot chain, recorded nearly 2 million dine-in visits on Oct. 1, a holiday high for the year. Locations in Urumqi and Anqing saw high foot traffic, reflecting strong travel-driven catering demand during China's National Day holiday.

Xiaocaiyuan: Xiaocaiyuan, a restaurant chain mentioned in the article, reported a 13.5% year-on-year increase in dine-in revenue during China's National Day holiday, reflecting the localized catering boom driven by a surge in domestic travel.

Meituan: In the article, Meituan is identified as a local services platform. It reported that searches for attractions in third-tier and smaller cities jumped 258% before the holiday, growing nearly twice as fast as searches in first- and second-tier cities, highlighting a consumer shift toward lower-tier destinations.

Douyin: Based on the article, Douyin (Chinese: 抖音) is a platform where culinary tourism fueled a 75% rise in regional cuisine group-buying orders during the National Day holiday. Local delicacies from Beijing, Sichuan, and Zhejiang led this trend, highlighting Douyin's role in promoting regional food consumption and boosting domestic demand.

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What Happened When

Oct. 1, 2026：: Haidilao International Holding Ltd. recorded nearly 2 million dine-in visits, a holiday high for the year.

Oct. 1 to Oct. 6, 2026：: National trade-in initiative benefited about 6.4 million consumer visits, generating 33.5 billion yuan in sales; tax data showed smart products sales surge with AI-powered robots up 130% and smart glasses doubling.

Oct. 6, 2026：: State Taxation Administration released data on tourism and entertainment sales rising 23.6% from a year earlier.

Oct. 1-7, 2026：: China's service industry sales revenue jumped 19.5% year-on-year during the National Day holiday, fueled by travel and entertainment spending surge.

AI generated, for reference only