People across China are enjoying beautiful landscapes and various vibrant activities during the ongoing seven-day National Day holiday.
Enjoying stunning autumn beauty becomes a popular choice to spend the holiday. Visitors are enchanted by colorful leaves in northeast China's Heilongjiang, magnificent waterfalls in southwest China's Guizhou and golden populus euphratica forests in northwest China's Gansu.
"My other half and I drove here ourselves, and the scenery is truly beautiful. It's definitely worth the trip," said Wang Shuxian, who is on a self-driving tour in Gansu.
Cities are also providing a wealth of activities for urban residents seeking to enjoy their leisure time. In central China's Wuhan City, cyclists are able to enjoy riding along a special cycling path. In Beijing, visitors are having fun at Gubei Water Town at the foot of Simatai Great Wall.
"The festive atmosphere here is wonderful and lively. Spending the meaningful National Day holiday in this water town has been a joy," said a visitor at Gubei Water Town.
Folk activities and cultural events are also held across China for visitors to enjoy the holiday.
Yunnan Province in southwest China stages a grand parade featuring performances by ethnic minorities. In east China's Ningbo, nearly 200 children gathered to perform Guzheng, a traditional Chinese musical instrument. Also in east China, the Guangyue Tower with some 650 years of history is illumined and traditional music performances are launched to attract visitors.
Various holiday activities have also unleashed consumption potential. In south China's Hainan and southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the commercial areas are crowded with people. Visitors are immersed themselves with featured entertainments and local delicious.
"During the National Day holiday, the average daily number of tourist visits exceeded 150,000, boosting the sales of surrounding businesses by 20 percent," said Zhu Wen, a staff member of Guanyinqiao Business District Management Office of Chongqing's Jiangbei District.
The National Day holiday period, which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 this year, is a peak travel and tourism season in China.
People across China enjoy vibrant activities during national day holiday
With over a million followers on social media, French influencer Greg is dedicated to showcasing modern life and culture in China, inviting viewers to experience the country firsthand.
Currently based in Shanghai, Greg leverages his platform to share everything from delectable Chinese cuisine to popular trends, often featuring creative videos such as "Living a day in Shanghai on 100 yuan" and "How many Chinese cities can you visit in a day?"
Greg's connection to China dates back 16 years to when he was a 25-year-old student at a university in France. As graduation approached, he had the opportunity to study abroad and chose China among various options. Upon arriving in China, he quickly envisioned a future in the country and became determined to secure a steady job.
His journey took a significant turn during the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, where he worked as a translator for several travel agencies. His outstanding performance during the event led to an opportunity with a multinational wine trading company, where he served as the marketing director.
"Being a foreigner who speaks Chinese opened up numerous job opportunities for me. Every day has felt like a new adventure. Each day has felt different, and I was discovering new things every day. Even now, in 2024, I still feel this way," he said.
Initially, Greg produced informative videos in his spare time while working in the wine industry. His strong desire for self-expression and creativity attracted a significant following, fueling his inspiration for more content.
"I focus on creating optimistic videos. Because in my mind, China is a place full of optimism and happiness. You can experience anything you want here. You just need to create your own opportunities. I really like this kind of life," he said.
In 2022, after 12 years in the wine industry, he transitioned to full-time content creation. This shift was motivated by his love for the profession and a realization he had during a visit to France two years prior, where he discovered a widespread lack of understanding about China.
"I often complain about how inconvenient things are in France. For example, every time I go out, I forget my wallet, but in China, we don't need a wallet. Everything can be done through our phones. When we want to go shopping in France, we have to line up at the checkout and take all the stuff back home all by ourselves. I told my French countrymates, 'You know what? In China, people can use apps to order takeout, and it can be delivered within half an hour,'" he said.
Greg has made it his mission to create videos that highlight the aspects of China he loves, sharing these stories with audiences in France and around the world.
"People in France like China a lot now because of the videos I post," he said proudly.
He also emphasizes the need for a real-life experience to truly understand China.
"Watching videos is not enough. You have to come and see for yourself. Five hundred videos are nothing when compared to spending just 24 hours in Shanghai. It's only when you experience that you'll truly understand what China is all about. I wholeheartedly invite everyone to visit China, and I hope my videos inspire them to do that," he said.
French influencer promotes China's allure through social media
