With the conclusion of the national college entrance exam, high school exams, and final exams in mainland China, the summer family travel market has begun to heat up in July. According to data released by Ctrip, family trips with children account for about 31% of all travelers, second only to adult-only travelers. Amid this wave of essential summer family travel, Chengdu, Sanya, and Xiamen, along with Japan, Thailand, and Singapore, rank as the top three domestic and international travel destinations respectively, while Taiwan is fifth in the overseas category.
This summer, parents across mainland China have unanimously embraced the idea of taking their children out to “get some fresh air,” exploring the world together and broadening their horizons along the way. Data from Ctrip shows that Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Xi’an, and Chongqing are the top ten source cities for family travel this summer, with parents in these cities showing particularly strong willingness to travel with their children.
Children’s Air Ticket Bookings Up 50% Year-on-Year
As for the top ten most popular domestic travel destinations for family trips, the list includes Chengdu, Sanya, Xiamen, Guilin, Lijiang, Hangzhou, Zhuhai, Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai. The top ten international destinations are Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the UK, the US, Malaysia, Australia, and the Philippines.
Planes and high-speed trains remain the preferred modes of transportation for family travel in mainland China. According to data from Ctrip, the number of child travelers (aged 0–12) has been increasing year by year over the past three summers.
So far, the number of children’s flight bookings on the Ctrip platform for this summer has increased by more than 50% compared to the same period last year. During the summer travel season, China’s national railways are expected to carry 720 million passengers, an increase of 53.84 million, or 8.1%, compared to the same period last year.
Star-rated Family Hotels in High Demand
In terms of accommodation, domestic family hotels in Sanya, Shanghai, and Dalian have seen higher booking volumes, while overseas, family hotels in Singapore, Phuket, and Bangkok are the most popular. Hotel booking data shows that family travelers prefer staying in higher-star-rated hotels, and the “one king-size bed plus one single bed” family room type has become the most sought-after option when booking both domestic and international accommodations.
25% Prefer Customized Travel
Compared to previous years, the average price per room for family hotels during this summer’s domestic and international travel is about 150 RMB higher than that of regular hotels. This indicates that families are willing to spend more on accommodations this year in pursuit of a more comfortable and secure stay.
Currently in the peak season for summer travel, in addition to traditional group tours and independent travel, customized travel is increasingly favored by parents in mainland China. Data shows that group tours account for the highest proportion at 43%, independent travel makes up 32%, and customized travel also reaches 25%.
Since the start of the summer travel season, both flight searches and bookings have seen a rapid surge. Data shows that during last summer’s domestic travel in mainland China, about 36% of travelers booked their tickets within three days of departure, 31.5% booked 3–15 days in advance, and 22.5% booked 15–30 days ahead. The same trend is expected to continue this summer.
In addition, mainland media have provided seven “travel tips” for families planning to travel this summer: 1. Decide on a destination; 2. Prepare necessary documents; 3. Book tickets and hotels; 4. Purchase travel insurance; 5. Bring sun protection items; 6. Don’t forget common medications; 7. Choose a quality travel agency. These “travel reminders” aim to help families stay safer and more at ease while traveling.