Commentary: China’s Golden Week Exposes a Deepening Consumer Divide

China’s 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays offered an unusual extended travel window, prompting hundreds of millions to hit the road. During the first six days of October alone, cross-regional movements topped 1.85 billion trips.

Yet, beneath the surface of this travel frenzy, overall consumption growth remains tepid. A stark divergence is emerging in the Chinese economy: traditional retail is faltering, while experience-driven “new consumption” is rapidly taking its place.