[Image credit: Ross Parmly]
Manchester sees the highest year-on-year growth for a UK city at 38%
Edinburgh Castle outpaces Windsor Castle to become the most visited UK attraction
London leads as the most popular European city during Golden Week
Trip.com, a leading global travel service provider, has announced a significant increase in travel from Asia to the United Kingdom during Golden Week 2025.
Golden Week in Asia is a significant holiday period that occurs annually, usually around September or October, but this year it is 1-8 October. In China it celebrates the Chinese National Day and is one of the longest holidays in the country. During this week, millions of people from Asia travel to reunite with family or go on holiday, making it the busiest time for tourism in Asia outside of Chinese New Year.
This year’s Golden Week, which coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, provided an extended break averaging eight days, with many travellers enjoying up to 12 days by combining annual leave. This “super holiday” has fuelled a surge in outbound journeys, with flights from China to the UK up 9% year-on-year according to Trip.com Group’s latest figures.
“As Golden Week approaches, booking momentum continues to rise, and rankings are shifting while more Asian travellers make last-minute plans. The UK is benefiting strongly from this trend, with our beautiful historic cities and world-class museums all seeing spikes in visitors, including notable growth outside of London” said Andy Washington, General Manager for Europe at Trip.com. “These longer holidays are giving travellers more freedom to explore, and we’re seeing that reflected in the sustained growth of new arrivals to cities across the UK, as visitors venture beyond London to discover new destinations.”
UK destinations in demand
The United Kingdom has emerged as a top choice for Asian tourists this Golden Week, with major cities experiencing robust growth in visitor numbers.
Ranking based on booking volumes | City |
|---|---|
1 | London |
2 | Edinburgh |
3 | Manchester |
4 | York |
5 | Cambridge |
6 | Oxford |
7 | Birmingham |
8 | Newcastle |
While London remains the most visited city overall, Manchester has seen a remarkable 38% year-on-year growth in bookings, while the historic cities of Cambridge and Oxford saw growth of 37% and 36% respectively. Other cities such as Edinburgh (28.63%) and York (33%) also saw strong year-on-year increases, reflecting a growing interest in exploring the UK’s diverse historical offerings beyond the capital.
With Golden Week still one week away, momentum is still building as more travellers make last-minute plans, with regional UK cities seeing the highest last-minute bookings.
The most popular UK attractions
Asian visitors are showing a keen interest in the UK’s iconic landmarks and cultural sites. This year, Edinburgh Castle claimed the top spot as Trip.com’s most booked UK attraction during Golden Week, overtaking Windsor Castle.
Ranking | Attraction |
|---|---|
1 | Edinburgh Castle |
2 | The British Museum |
3 | Westminster Abbey |
4 | Brighton Beach |
5 | London Eye |
6 | Royal Observatory Greenwich |
7 | Stonehenge |
8 | Windsor Castle |
9 | Palace of Holyroodhouse |
10 | Warner Bros. Studio Tour London |
From world-class museums to modern attractions like the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, the UK is uniquely able to captivate visitors seeking both heritage and contemporary experiences. The enduring appeal of the British monarchy is also clear from the data, with royal landmarks such as Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse remaining in tourists’ must-visit lists.
Interestingly, Buckingham Palace has fallen out of the top 10 after ranking at #5 in 2024, with Stonehenge and Brighton Beach arriving as new additions in 2025 – continuing to suggest that Golden Week travellers have set their sights beyond the nation’s capital.
Broader European trends
Trip.com Group’s data also reveals that London is the most booked city across five major European markets (UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany), followed by Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and Milan.
This underscores London’s enduring status as a gateway for Chinese travellers exploring Europe.
Other emerging hotspots are also registering double- and triple-digit growth. German city Düsseldorf tops the list with a 188% year-on-year spike, drawing visitors with its vibrant beer culture and fashion-forward arts scene.
-Ends-
Notes to editors:
Trip.com Group’s earlier global release reflected booking patterns up to mid-September. The UK-specific figures in this release are more recent and highlight how rankings continue to evolve as Golden Week approaches.
About Trip.com
Trip.com is an international one-stop travel service provider, available in 24 languages across 39 countries and regions and supporting 35 local currencies. With an extensive hotel and flight network of over 1.5 million hotels and flights from more than 640 airlines, along with over 200,000 attractions and tour products, Trip.com covers 3,400 airports in 220 countries and regions. Trip.com’s world-class, 24/7 multilingual customer service helps millions of customers worldwide to “create the best travel experience.” Book your next trip at trip.com.
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