With the Lantern Festival over, the long Spring Festival holiday has officially ended, but the travel market has not cooled down as a result. According to queries on Ctrip, flight prices for many routes have dropped significantly after the holiday. Flights from Beijing to popular tourist destinations are mostly below 50% of the original price—for example, the lowest price for a flight from Beijing to Sanya is around 40%, less than 1,000 yuan one way; flights from Shanghai to Chengdu are as low as 37%, less than 600 yuan one way; and flights from Shenzhen to Chongqing are as low as 20%, with one-way tickets for just 260 yuan. The significant reduction in transportation costs has led more consumers to choose this period for off-peak travel.
At the same time, accommodation prices at popular destinations are also being discounted, and with fewer tourists after the holiday, overall comfort while traveling has generally improved. Thanks to these favorable factors, many “smart” travelers are seizing the cheapest time of year to travel off-peak. Reporters have found that the main post-holiday travelers—families, couples, and seniors—are abandoning travel agencies, and even forgoing traditional resorts and hotels, instead booking convenient and affordable vacation apartments online.
Off-peak self-guided travel heats up, Tujia apartment bookings remain strong
Nowadays, self-guided travel where you just pack your bags and go is increasingly favored by tourists. Mr. Tang, who does business abroad, told reporters, “Our families planned a self-driving trip to Qiandao Lake. Traveling with a tour group is very inconvenient, but self-driving is freer and we can change the route anytime.” Mr. Tang said that traveling is about trying new things, and it’s even more fun to buy local ingredients and cook yourself. He has already booked and paid a deposit for a vacation apartment through Tujia.com.
During interviews, reporters found that in addition to family trips like Mr. Tang’s, some citizens are even embarking on “aimless travel.” Miss Liu told reporters, “I don’t have any particular place I want to go to. I just want to get out and relax, and decide on the next destination when I get there.” As for accommodation, she usually likes to book a room in a distant location via her mobile phone. “Big hotels are too expensive, small guesthouses raise safety concerns, but vacation apartments are still the safer choice.” Miss Liu said she enjoys aimless travel—cooking local food, meeting locals, staying in homestays to experience the local culture. It was precisely because of Tujia.com’s current “Off-Peak Post-Holiday Travel” promotion that she started this “aimless travel lifestyle.” Nowadays, signing up for a tour group at a travel agency is no longer the only option for citizens. The rise in self-guided travel and the upgrading of family consumption are precisely the main reasons why vacation apartments are so popular.
Off-peak post-holiday travel: The best time to travel in the low season
For travelers who love to explore but prefer not to stay in large hotels, choosing an affordable yet cozy family apartment for accommodation during post-holiday travel is the perfect choice. Relevant data shows that the number of people choosing self-guided leisure travel has increased by about 15% compared to last year. More and more people are abandoning traditional travel methods in favor of more tasteful and fulfilling forms of leisure travel.
According to officials from Tujia.com, the post-holiday off-peak travel market is currently ramping up quickly. In response, Tujia.com has launched a special off-peak travel campaign starting at just 128 yuan. On the campaign page, reporters found that Tujia apartments in Qingdao’s Naru Bay start at 128 yuan per night, Tujia apartments in Xiamen at 169 yuan per night, and a high-floor king-size room in Sanya for just 358 yuan per night. During the Spring Festival, the prices for these popular destinations were basically more than double the current average rates. This shows that when it comes to off-peak post-holiday travel, the value for money offered by vacation apartment stays is exceptionally high.
Officials from Tujia.com stated that the sharp contrast between the hustle and bustle of the Spring Festival and the quiet aftermath has driven rapid “cooling off” in the pricing of major travel products. Tujia has timely adapted to the characteristics of the post-holiday off-peak travel market by adjusting prices quickly, which is a direct response to market conditions—and it is precisely the best time for many smart travelers to go on a trip.
Tips:
Tujia.com Off-Peak Travel Special: http://promotion.tujia.com/hd/nmhk2013/