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This year's holiday calendar gives travelers an unusually long window: the Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept. 25 to 27) runs right into National Day's "Golden Week" (Oct. 1 to 7).
Chinese tourists are getting a head start rather than waiting for the holiday to officially begin. More than half of outbound flight bookings are for departures before Oct. 1, with demand expected to peak on Sept. 25 and 30, according Trip.com Group, China's largest online travel platform.
Dunhuang has been one of the notable beneficiaries of this trend. Per the same Trip.com Group report, it is among the fastest growing destinations for flight bookings, building on new direct routes to Beijing and Shanghai added for the 2025-2026 flight season, according to China's State Council Information Office.
Tucked at the edge of the Gobi Desert in Gansu Province, Dunhuang was a key Silk Road waypoint.
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Visitors experience Dunhuang’s desert landscape on a camel ride across the dunes. Photo by Pixabay |
Its attractions include the UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, while the Xuanquanzhi postal station and Yumen Pass are among the Chinese sites included in the UNESCO-listed Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor.
One site receiving renewed attention is Xuanquanzhi, a Han Dynasty postal relay station more than 2,000 years old.
The site served as a stop for envoys, officials, and travelers along the Silk Road and provided a glimpse into the communication and transport network that supported the ancient route.
Once relatively overlooked by visitors, Xuanquanzhi has become more accessible since the opening of its World Cultural Heritage Scenic Area in May 2025. The site now combines the archaeological remains with exhibition and visitor facilities, giving tourists a closer look at Dunhuang's Silk Road history.
The development comes as cultural and heritage tourism continues to draw visitors across China during major holiday periods. With expanded air connections and new visitor facilities, Dunhuang is positioning lesser-known Silk Road sites such as Xuanquanzhi alongside its better-known attractions as the long holiday approaches.
