Many Netizens Save Red Packets for Filial Gestures
Compared to last year, Baidu’s “Search for Red Packets” event began its pre-launch promotion half a month earlier. Since the launch of the promotional page on January 15, 2013, many users following the event have been visiting the page to accumulate lottery draws in hopes of winning big prizes like fully furnished apartments, cars, or diamond rings when the official draw begins on February 1.
Event editors randomly interviewed participants and found that most were joining “Search for Red Packets” just for fun. As for the dream grand prize — the fully furnished apartment — many said that if they won, they would give it to their parents as a special Lunar New Year gift.
In response, Luo Jun, co-founder and CEO of Tujia.com, shared his thoughts: “This choice by our users actually aligns with our original intention for joining the event. The reason we partnered with Yougang to offer an apartment in Wendeng is to provide a great place for many young people’s parents to retire — in a clean-air, long-life region. Of course, the young can also live there themselves. Especially now, with serious PM2.5 pollution in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, this location can serve as an ideal spot for leisure holidays. In the future, vacation-style work may even become a fashionable lifestyle.”
Travel in Style, Enjoy More “Red Packet” Benefits
“We hope that through this event, more people will learn about and experience vacation rentals — a new way of traveling and accommodation. In fact, vacation rentals have been popular in Europe and America for years. For example, U.S. President Obama chooses this model when he goes to Hawaii for vacation every year. Tujia.com has introduced this model to China, where it has grown rapidly. We currently cover 66 domestic cities and have expanded to 45 overseas travel destinations. We aim to bring more travel benefits to Chinese people,” Luo Jun explained regarding the broader significance of the event.
According to media reports, compared to traditional hotels, vacation apartments offer numerous advantages. One of the biggest draws is their price — only 50–60% of a hotel room. Other perks include a homelike environment with laundry and cooking facilities, a variety of room types from studios to two-bedroom units, and greater privacy and comfort. Data from Tujia.com (www.tujia.com) shows that during the Spring Festival, bookings for vacation apartments in travel destinations such as Sanya, Xiamen, Chengdu, and Guilin have been climbing steadily. In Sanya, all beach-view units have been fully booked.
This shows that in the future, travelers can enjoy even more “red packet” benefits by opting for vacation rentals when going on trips.