As a major source country of outbound tourists, China has made significant contributions to the growth of global outbound tourism. The current peak season for outbound travel is showing strong growth trends in China. According to UTour, a well-known domestic outbound travel service provider, after launching its large-scale early booking promotion for the summer season, there has been a continuous stream of tourists coming to inquire and make bookings. Compared with the same period last year, the booking rate for tour routes has increased significantly.
It is reported that one of the key reasons behind the optimistic trend in early route bookings is the shift in people’s attitude toward travel. In the past, Chinese travelers often lacked planning and tended to finalize their itineraries just days before holidays. The time pressure often made it difficult for them to get into the best mindset for travel, and the fatigue brought about by the rush also greatly diminished the travel experience.
However, in many other countries, due to differing mindsets, a lot of foreign tourists plan their trips well in advance. For example, Europeans often allocate 10% of their annual income to travel expenses and book their trips several months or even a year ahead of time. This approach has become a habit for most Europeans. Reducing unnecessary fatigue and spending more time truly enjoying travel allows for a more relaxing and fulfilling journey.
To foster a more planned approach to travel among Chinese people and to provide better services to tourists, many travel agencies have started offering early booking promotions in recent years. Among them, UTour began promoting the concept of “pre-sales” and launching early booking discount activities last year, receiving positive feedback from consumers. With more and more travel agencies trying out early booking promotions, Chinese travelers now have a better understanding of planned travel, and participation in such activities has been increasing steadily.
In UTour’s early booking promotion, there are a total of 41 routes across four continents—Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas—offering consumers a wide range of choices. As the summer travel season draws closer, UTour reminds consumers who plan to travel abroad during the summer that booking early not only allows them to enjoy real discounts but also helps them relax and enjoy a worry-free journey.