Starting this National Day holiday, tolls for small passenger vehicles will be waived. This news is undoubtedly encouraging for many road trip enthusiasts, but the road trip, which is beloved by the public, is not favored by travel agencies. With National Day approaching, what kinds of travel routes will the major travel agencies in Guiyang offer to the public? A reporter conducted an investigation.
Road trips turn into “DIY trips”
Miss Li, a resident, just got her beloved car last month. Seeing her new car stuck in slow traffic in the crowded city every day, she wanted to take a road trip to test its performance. Learning that small passenger vehicles would enjoy free passage starting this National Day, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm. She gathered a few friends, planned the route, and was all set to go.
For beginners who aren’t familiar with the roads outside, a purely independent road trip can seem a bit unrealistic—issues like accommodation, dining, and safety are all causes for concern. Miss Li said that none of her friends who planned to join her had any prior road trip experience. “We thought about asking a travel agency to help arrange the route or provide lodging and meals,” but after inquiring with several agencies, Miss Li left disappointed.
The reporter learned that many travel agencies in Guiyang have no interest in this “big piece of cake” that is road trips. Mr. Qin, a long-time insider in the travel industry, revealed the reason: “Road trips aren’t profitable!” Road trips can only make money from entrance tickets and accommodations, but now you can get cheap tickets or hotel rooms through online group buys. For travel agencies, because the number of people on road trips is limited, it’s hard to get group discounts, leaving no profit margin.
“Road trips in Guiyang have almost become ‘DIY trips.’ If residents want to go on a road trip, they should seek advice from experienced people on things like routes, timing, and accommodations—all of which need to be prepared in advance. There must be one or two companions in the group who frequently go on road trips; otherwise, it’s very difficult to pull off smoothly.”
Li Lun, general manager of Guizhou International Travel Agency, also stated that a few years ago they offered road trip products for a while, and customer feedback was good. However, due to the high level of instability and uncontrollable factors inherent in road trips, there were too many issues to “argue over” during the trips, placing a heavy burden on the travel agency. As a result, they gradually stopped developing new road trip products, and now the agency has given up on the road trip sector altogether.
Outbound travel is already booming
Although there’s still a month to go before the National Day holiday, compared to road trips—which travel agencies aren’t keen on—outbound travel and traditional domestic routes have long been on the agenda for major travel agencies in Guiyang.
For outbound travel, agencies such as Guizhou Youth Travel Service are focusing on Taiwan and Thailand, designing several premium routes for travelers planning to go abroad during National Day. This year, they’ve also added a route to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Guizhou International Travel Agency has added Taiwan and island leisure routes on top of their Hong Kong-Macao independent travel groups. The two Southeast Asian groups they prepared for National Day have already reached full capacity. Li Lun, the company’s general manager, told reporters that out of the more than 10 groups they opened for National Day, only one group date remains, with registration being extremely brisk.
“This is due to the unique nature of outbound travel. Many customers choose their long holiday travel plans one or two months in advance, since outbound travel requires a lot of preparation. That’s why our company started preparing National Day outbound travel products very early. This year, with the rare 8-day holiday, more travelers are opting for longer routes, so registration has been very good,” said Manager Li.
Domestic popular routes are also heavily promoted by many travel agencies. Places like East China, Dalian, Qingdao, and Guangdong are perennial hot travel destinations, and travel agencies certainly won’t miss out on premium domestic routes priced between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan.
Some travel agencies have also launched “family trips” and “relaxation trips” to places like Yunnan and Sichuan. These routes are designed as “semi-independent travel,” where the agency only handles basic services and provides guidance for travelers’ journeys, without controlling which specific attractions they visit, how long they stay, or where they eat. Services are provided as needed, allowing travelers to truly relax. The prices for these “semi-independent travel” options are also under 2,000 yuan, which most families find quite acceptable.