China’s tourism market appears to be gaining momentum as the peak summer travel season begins, with operators reporting a double-digit increase in bookings compared to the same period last year.
The period from July 1 to August 31 is a key time for China’s travel industry, as it coincides with the school and university summer holidays. As in many countries, this is a time when families often go away together and students take trips to celebrate the end of their exams.
This year, Chinese consumers appear to be keen to get away, with demand for domestic and international travel up compared to last year’s summer tourist season.
China’s rail network is expected to accommodate 860 million travelers during the summer holidays, 13% more than last year. According to online travel platform Trip.com, searches for hotels and domestic flights increased by more than 20% compared to the previous year.
Families are driving much of this demand, accounting for 48% of domestic travelers and 52% of international travelers, according to Trip.com. Many parents are choosing to take their children on educational tours to famous landmarks in Beijing and Shanghai, which has driven bookings for experiential travel products up 70% year over year.
Families are also increasingly taking trips to the countryside. According to Trip.com, bookings in fifth-tier cities and counties increased by 34% and 22% year-on-year, respectively.
Shanghai resident Peng Yuling is among many parents taking time off from work to go on a family vacation this year. Peng and his wife plan to take their daughter to the seaside city of Weihai in eastern China’s Shandong Province for a week.
The purpose of the trip is to broaden their daughter’s horizons, introduce her to different local cultures and spend quality time with family, Peng said. “Summer vacation is the best time to take children on a trip; it allows them to relax and gain more knowledge that you can’t get from books,” he told Sixth Tone.
Students are also traveling in large numbers this year. Online travel company Tongcheng Travel reported strong growth in train and flight bookings to major cities in China this year, with young people aged 18 to 26 accounting for 54.5% of rail passengers.
Zhang Ping is one of millions of students who plan to celebrate the end of college entrance exams by going on a trip with his friends. The 18-year-old plans to travel from Shanghai to neighboring Zhejiang province and spend 10 days exploring the region’s picturesque towns and countryside.
“This is my graduation trip, it means a lot to me,” Zhang said. “For me, traveling is not just about seeing sights; it’s mostly about living experiences and connecting with people. »
Demand for overseas travel also appears to be growing strongly this year, boosted by the introduction of visa exemptions for Chinese tourists in several countries and major events such as the Paris Olympics.
Travel agency Spring Tour announced that overseas travel bookings during the summer vacation increased by more than 100% year-on-year. Trip.com said demand from young people was particularly strong: international bookings by people born after 2000 increased by 153% year-on-year this summer, according to the company.
Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are popular destinations this year, with all three countries introducing visa waivers for Chinese tourists. European countries are also seeing an increase in travelers from China due to the Paris Olympics and the European Football Championship.
According to Trip.com, bookings to France increased by 80% this summer. Travel orders in Germany, where Euro 2024 is taking place, increased by more than 150% year-on-year, the company said.
Tongcheng Travel, meanwhile, reported a 70% year-on-year increase in flight bookings to Paris from major Chinese cities. Hotel bookings in Paris increased by almost 150% year-on-year, the company added.
(Header image: VCG)
