(Yicai Global) Oct. 9 -- A total of 859,000 people entered or exited China via Shanghai during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays (Oct. 1 to 8), including 197,000 foreign visitors to China, local official media The Paper reported.

Of the 859,000 cross-border travelers tallied as of 4.00 p.m. yesterday, about 433,000 were outbound tourists and 426,000 inbound travelers, Shanghai's General Station of Immigration Inspection announced.

Some 510,000 Chinese passengers passed through Pudong International Airport, accounting for 78.2 percent of its total passenger volume.

The local cruise port also saw a spike in the number of outbound passengers in the eight-day 'Golden Week.' Shanghai immigration inspection police checked 22 international cruise ships and 67,000 passengers during the period.

The daily passenger volume at Pudong Airport stood steady throughout the holiday at around 100,000, the general station disclosed, and Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan remained the most popular destinations. Morocco, Palau and Israel also gained in popularity among Chinese tourists.

Judging by experiences in previous years, the number of travelers returning to China via Shanghai will remain at a peak level until Oct. 11, the station advised.