Guangdong's Zhanjiang Airport experienced historic highs in passenger numbers over the National Day holiday (Oct 1 to 7), as more people chose to travel further afield during the break than in any other year previous, Zhanjiang Daily reported.

Some 30,487 people took to the skies during the Golden Week, up 46.3 percent year-on-year, signaling promising signs for the city's air industry which is set to expand with a new international airport scheduled for 2018.

As well as passenger numbers, freight transport was up over the holiday, as 231.8 metric tons of cargo passed through the port, up 45.51 percent on the same period in 2015.

For those departing from Zhanjiang Airport, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Kunming proved the most popular destinations.

Passengers get off a plane in Zhanjiang Airport in this Jan 24, 2016 file photo. [Photo/yinsha.com]