Tourists visit the Palace Museum in Beijing during the National Day holiday. [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

The top 10 popular domestic destinations during the recent National Day holiday were Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Wuhan, according to tourism website Mafengwo.

Many of those who traveled to Beijing wanted to experience the vibrant atmosphere of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, such as watching the national flag-raising ceremony on Tian'anmen Square at dawn.

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region remained its popularity as a long-distance travel destination, with the stunning natural landscapes in northern Xinjiang and the rich cultural heritage in southern Xinjiang.

Some scenes in Black Myth: Wukong — a video game inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West — were based on Shanxi province's tourist spots. The craze for the video game made the province extremely popular during the National Day holiday, especially the scenic Xiaoxitian area in Xixian county.

Younger Chinese opted to visit places with fewer crowds, stunning scenery and good travel experiences. This National Day holiday, Wuyuan, Yixing, Shunde, Yanji, Tengchong, Tonglu, Arxan, Xichang, Kaiping, and Pingtan were the top 10 popular small cities and counties among tourists.

Georgia has surged into the top five popular overseas destinations alongside the usual favorites like Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. More young Chinese are now choosing Africa for their longer holidays. Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia have seen the most rapid increase in popularity during the National Day holiday.