Indonesia has entered the list of popular overseas destinations for Chinese tourists during this year’s Golden Week holiday, which began on October 1, as travelers shift their interest away from Japan.
A Shift in Popular Destinations
According to Kyodo News, reported Saturday, October 3, 2026, Chinese travel agency Tuniu named Indonesia, Turkey, and South Korea among the most popular overseas destinations for the holiday period starting October 1.
This marks a notable shift from the same period last year, when Japan held the top spot on the list of preferred destinations for Chinese travelers heading abroad.
About Golden Week
China’s Golden Week holiday runs for a full week, from October 1 to October 7. This year, the holiday period also overlaps with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a three-day celebration that began on September 25, creating an extended travel window for many Chinese tourists looking to maximize their time off.
Rising Tensions With Japan Behind the Shift
Indonesia’s appearance on this year’s list of top destinations comes as relations between China and Japan have grown increasingly tense, a development that appears to be directly influencing Chinese travelers’ destination choices for this holiday period.
In November 2025, the Chinese government urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. That advisory followed remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in parliament, in which she addressed the possibility of Japan deploying defense forces if China were to attack Taiwan.
China claims Taiwan as part of its own territory and has stated its intention to bring the island under its control, including through the use of force if deemed necessary, a long-standing point of tension between the two countries.
Chinese Travelers Weighing the Political Climate
One Chinese traveler who visited Japan in 2026 said the state of relations between the two countries has become a factor travelers are now taking into account.
“Of course, there are people who will find it difficult to choose Japan as a travel destination given the current situation,” the traveler said.
The Numbers Tell the Story
This declining interest in Japan as a destination is also reflected in official visitor data. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan during the first six months of 2026 dropped by 56.4% compared to the same period the previous year, a dramatic decline that underscores just how significantly the diplomatic tension has affected travel patterns.
What This Means for Indonesia’s Tourism Industry
For Indonesia, this shift represents a notable opportunity. With Chinese tourists actively redirecting their travel plans away from Japan, destinations like Indonesia, Turkey, and South Korea stand to benefit from increased visitor interest during one of China’s biggest annual travel periods.
Given that Golden Week typically drives a massive surge in outbound Chinese tourism, capturing even a portion of travelers who would have otherwise chosen Japan could translate into a meaningful boost for Indonesia’s tourism sector, hotels, and related businesses during this specific window.
A Reminder of How Geopolitics Shapes Travel
This situation offers a clear example of how diplomatic tensions between countries can directly reshape global tourism patterns in a relatively short period. As China-Japan relations remain strained, it remains to be seen whether this shift in Chinese travel preferences will persist beyond this particular holiday period, or whether Japan will see a rebound once tensions potentially ease.
For now, though, destinations like Indonesia appear well-positioned to capture a larger share of China’s substantial outbound tourism market during this politically charged moment between two of Asia’s largest economies.
