As graduation season arrives in June, students are shedding the pressures of years of academic stress, gathering with their closest friends to light bonfires and fireworks on the beach, enjoy seafood and beer at street food stalls, and share late-night chats in cozy hostels. For many graduates, a graduation trip is a meaningful way to bid farewell to their innocent and beautiful campus days. Numerous students have already booked their trips to travel together after graduation, and many parents have also signed their children up for tour groups as a post-exam reward. Travel agencies have launched specially tailored itineraries and uniquely “personalized” student discounts, making “graduation travel” a current hot topic in the tourism market.
On June 6, Taobao Travel released its first “Post-90s Travel Consumption Report in the Internet Era.” The report shows that the post-90s generation travels 1 to 3 times per year, with peak travel periods occurring during the January–February and June–July winter and summer holidays. Over 70% of them opt for independent travel. According to Taobao Travel data, the post-90s travel frequently—74% travel 1 to 3 times a year, 20% travel 3 to 5 times, and the remaining 6% travel more than 5 times annually.
In terms of travel style, over 70% of post-90s choose independent travel, while more than 20% opt for group tours. Additionally, a significant proportion choose to travel with companions. Taobao Travel data shows that around 30% of post-90s users place orders that include more than two flight tickets or more than two hostel room bookings. The tendency of post-90s to travel in groups means that one traveler can bring along two or more additional consumers, creating business opportunities for online travel platforms to launch targeted promotions such as “discounts for two travelers.”
Willing to Spend, but Value for Money Matters Most
Travel agency insiders report a surge in popularity for student-focused travel products recently, with the period after the college entrance exams—especially mid-to-late June—expected to be the peak travel time. Many travel agencies have specifically designed “graduation travel” packages aimed at high school and college graduates, and most bookings come from students. “Interestingly, some young professionals who have been in the workforce for just one or two years are also gathering their former classmates for graduation trips,” said He Yong, deputy general manager of Ctrip’s travel business division. “Popular travel routes among students often focus on seaside destinations, food, and cultural experiences, mostly within China. They are highly value-conscious—for example, they prefer hostels over luxury hotels for accommodation, and choose train travel over flights, or a combination of trains and flights.”
He Yong noted that “graduation travel” itineraries include many services and activities tailored for students, such as routes exclusive to students to ensure shared interests and a more private experience. “Some ‘graduation travel’ group tours do not include entrance fees, allowing students to use their student IDs for discounted entry,” He explained.
According to current Ctrip booking statistics, Xiamen and Beijing are the most popular graduation travel destinations, followed by Sanya, Shanghai, Qingdao, Guilin, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Lijiang. On Taobao Travel, the top graduation travel destinations are Lijiang, Chengdu, and Hangzhou. Data from Qunar.com shows that students are the main force behind summer travel, with Xiamen, Shanghai, Chongqing, Kunming, and Chengdu being the most favored cities.
He Yong analyzed that popular graduation travel destinations fall into two categories: cities with a concentration of prestigious universities, rich cultural heritage, and strong appeal as tourist spots—especially the capital, Beijing. The other category includes vacation destinations ideal for summer relaxation, such as Sanya, Qingdao, and Guilin. Xiamen, which offers both, has become the hottest graduation travel destination. Medium- and short-distance hiking and leisure routes near cities are also popular, such as trips from Shanghai to Huangshan, Sanqingshan, Wuyuan, and Anji.
According to the “Post-90s Travel Consumption Report in the Internet Era” released by Taobao Travel, 51% of post-90s spend less than 1,500 yuan on travel, 28% spend between 1,500 and 3,000 yuan, and 21% spend over 3,000 yuan—indicating that the post-90s are indeed willing to spend on travel.
The report shows that the peak transaction hours for booking travel products on Taobao Travel are between 3:00–5:00 PM and 9:00–11:00 PM.
Taobao Travel data reveals that among students traveling for graduation, those from Jiangsu make up the largest proportion at about 30%. Jiangsu students love to travel, and students from other regions are keen to visit Jiangsu’s universities. Zhao Wei’s directorial debut film “So Young,” which features many scenes shot in Nanjing, has further fueled interest in university tours in Jiangsu. Following Jiangsu, 14% of travelers are from Guangdong, and 8% from Zhejiang. Ranks 4 to 10 are: Shandong, Beijing, Sichuan, Shanghai, Liaoning, Hebei, and Henan.
Avoiding Peak Travel Times Can Lower Costs
Data from Qunar.com shows that summer travel bookings have quietly begun, with a peak expected in early July.
Qiu Hui, Qunar.com’s director of air ticket products, stated that with the growing popularity of travel awareness and online booking habits, people are planning and booking trips earlier. Many start planning their itineraries and booking flights at least one month in advance. “The price difference for booking flights during summer varies greatly depending on the timing. Booking nearly a month in advance averages less than a 30% discount, while waiting until a week before the peak can result in an average discount of over 80%,” Qiu explained. “Recent price data shows that flight prices for popular graduation travel routes in June are relatively low. It’s advisable to book early rather than waiting until July or August when prices surge. This helps reduce transportation costs and also avoids the July travel peak.”
Based on Qunar.com’s 45-day airfare trend chart and daily airfare calendar, flights departing from major university cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Xi’an show that booking flights from mid-to-late June to the end of June currently offers discounts of around 30%. However, booking flights for July sees prices rise to 50–70% of the full fare. For example, on the Beijing–Xiamen route, flights booked from mid-to-late June to the end of June are available at around a 30% discount, approximately 500 yuan, but prices rise above 800 yuan starting in July. For Shanghai–Chongqing flights in mid-to-late June, the lowest prices are just 25% off, under 350 yuan, but jump to around 500 yuan in July. Guangzhou–Sanya flights in mid-to-late June have a minimum price of about 300 yuan, rising to over 60% of the full fare, or more than 500 yuan, in July. Before July, flights from Wuhan to Kunming and Xi’an to Shanghai are also around 30% off, about 400 yuan, but see significant increases in July.