In China, there are three golden weeks—periods tied to major national holidays during which special leave is granted to the entire population. These are privileged moments for domestic tourism.

黄金周huáng jīn zhōu

The three golden weeks are:

• The Spring Festival golden week, which coincides with the national holiday of the same name and the entry into the new lunar year (in January or February depending on the year)
• The Labor Day golden week on May 1st (this week has been shortened to three days since 2007)
• The National Day golden week on October 1st

During these periods (except the May golden week, which has been reduced), three days of paid leave are granted, and students and employees work the preceding weekend in order to extend the vacation period to 7 consecutive days.

This system has been in place since 1999, though adjustments are being considered. The objective of these vacation periods is to boost domestic tourism by offering sufficiently long stretches of time to encourage travel. It also allows some Chinese to visit their families.

Each year, more than 150 million Chinese take advantage of these periods to travel, and the figures are regularly on the rise.