With the improvement of living standards and economic conditions, traveling has become a popular trend. According to statistics, China’s annual domestic tourist trips have exceeded 2 billion. At the same time, more and more people are no longer satisfied with just exploring their own country’s beautiful landscapes but are setting their sights abroad. Walking through the 20th Guangzhou International Travel Expo, amidst the bustling crowd, you can see elderly couples strolling together or groups of seniors everywhere. Most of them are carrying bags and brochures from various travel agencies, often comparing options before deciding which one to choose.
70-year-old Wu Bo and his wife have been traveling several times a year since retiring, having visited places such as Europe, Southeast Asia, and the United States. Like many others, due to tightly packed itineraries, they didn’t have enough time to stay and truly experience the destinations, and the tour guides didn’t provide detailed explanations, so each trip ended up being just a cursory glance — what they call a “sightseeing literacy tour.” However, they say they’ve moved past the “literacy” stage and are now ready to enjoy travel with more depth. They already have a clear idea of what they want. Wu Bo said, “Japan has many places full of history and stories. We want to go to Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto, and we’re asking for local professional guides. There are many other places we want to explore in depth, and we’ll take it step by step.”
Tourism professionals told reporters that compared to many years ago, the tourism market has quietly changed, with many people now preferring small, more intimate group travel. Wu Shiniang, who came with a few neighbors from her old street, said, “When you travel, who you travel with matters a lot. If you end up with unfriendly group members, it can really spoil the mood. So nowadays we don’t like joining large groups — we prefer traveling with people we know.”
The travel expo has almost become a domain for middle-aged and elderly people, while young people, stuck in the “cracks,” are clearly not enthusiastic about joining large tour groups either. They dislike being restricted and place more emphasis on travel quality. Many travel agencies have noted that except during holidays and school breaks, those signing up for group tours are mostly middle-aged and elderly, and among them, many theme tours or in-depth tours in places like Europe are particularly popular with young people. Reporters found that for domestic travel, young people mostly opt for independent travel, while for overseas trips, they prefer smaller groups or going solo.
Upon hearing that Guangzhou will soon be open for independent travel to Taiwan, young people are already eager to give it a try. Li Li, a post-90s university student, and her classmates have long planned a summer trip. Li Li said, “We’ve always traveled on our own, booking train tickets and hotels online — it’s both cheap and free, and we can do whatever we want. We heard that independent travel to Taiwan might be allowed soon. We’re not very familiar with the place, so we came to find out more. We want to prepare in advance when we decide to go.”
Some travel agencies report that as citizens become more plan-oriented in their travel, pre-sold travel routes are also gaining popularity. Ms. Hu, a white-collar worker in Guangzhou, has already booked her June trip. She said, “Some scenery is seasonal, so you have to go at the right time. My workplace often requires overtime, but we have compensatory leave. I’ve saved up my leave for this trip.”
Ms. Yang, who got married not long ago, plans to go on a honeymoon soon. The travel agency staff listed many popular honeymoon destinations such as Bali, the Netherlands, and Jeju Island. She ultimately chose Jeju Island. She said, “People who’ve been there all say it’s great, and many Korean dramas were filmed on Jeju Island. It feels very romantic and comfortable.”
Some travel agencies report that as citizens become more plan-oriented in their travel, pre-sold travel routes are also gaining popularity. Ms. Hu, a white-collar worker in Guangzhou, has already booked her June trip. She said, “Some scenery is seasonal, so you have to go at the right time. My workplace often requires overtime, but we have compensatory leave. I’ve saved up my leave for this trip.”
Ms. Yang, who got married not long ago, plans to go on a honeymoon soon. The travel agency staff listed many popular honeymoon destinations such as Bali, the Netherlands, and Jeju Island. She ultimately chose Jeju Island. She said, “People who’ve been there all say it’s great, and many Korean dramas were filmed on Jeju Island. It feels very romantic and comfortable.”