Family travel is one of the fastest evolving segments of China’s Outbound tourism market. During the summer of 2025, around 35% of domestic flights were made up of parents and children, with the share on international routes reaching 23%– an increase to 2024. However, travel decisions for Chinese families are shaped by factors that are significantly different from western markets, particularly surrounding education. Understanding these dynamics is essential for tourism brands and destinations seeking to engage Chinese family travellers.
Education as a driver for family travel
The overlap between tourism and education is a defining characteristic of Chinese family travel that all tourism brands and destinations should consider. For Chinese families, travel is often closely linked to future opportunity and personal development rather than just being a holiday. Many family groups will shape their itineraries to visit important aspirational institutions, to sow the seed with their children about an education overseas, including exploring the areas around boarding schools or universities. Visiting overseas destinations helps children to experience different learning environments and visualise life beyond China. These trips also help parents assessing destinations and institutions, as well as cultural environments, that could later become their child’s educational setting. It is important for university towns and cities to understand that, although the reputation and ranking of the university will remain the number one consideration for Chinese families, the safety and friendliness of the environment in the town itself will also influence decision-making. Naturally, parents are concerned that their child will have a good all-round experience of studying overseas, and that includes living in a city which offers good standards of accommodation, a safe and inspiring environment, and a willingness to welcome international students.
Tours of elite universities such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge are big business in China, with specialist departments within tour operators on hand to organise such groups.
Museum workshops for Chinese children
In China, popular attractions such as museums and cultural villages in Beijing offer pre-bookable educational workshops for children. Typically, the children will join a group in a separate room in the museum and be spoken to by a curator or specialist. They will then undertake a related activity eg. building a model of the museum, or drawing a picture of one of the artefacts. At the end of the session, each child will receive a certificate to prove they have completed the ‘course’. This will be shared with the class upon their return to school after the holidays. Certificates are highly valued, giving ‘face’ to the child who has had such a valuable experience during their holiday, and the certificates are sometimes displayed in classrooms or kept as part of a child’s academic portfolio. Given the value of these experiences beyond the actual experience itself, these workshops are in high demand and parents are willing to pay a premium for structured and credible learning experiences that will complement their child’s education, and give them an academic and social ‘edge’ in such a competitive system.
Attractions and museums around the world should take note of these trends and consider running their own workshops for Chinese children, not only as a way to attract more families, but as an income stream. A premium price can be charged for such an exclusive opportunity.
Multi-generational and group travel dynamics
Chinese family travel doesn’t have to just be parent and child; it often involves three generations travelling together. Grandparents frequently accompany trips, helping to care for grandchildren so that parents can balance their childcare responsibilities with some relaxation time. During the 2025 Spring Festival, multi-generational trips made up 26% of all Chinese trip bookings, with cruises being a popular activity. On the ground, ‘silver hair’ travellers (as they are known in China) will often rely on translation and navigation apps and digital payment systems to get around when they are away from their adult children but it is the adult children, and the grandchildren who are most likely to speak a second language.
It is also common for families to travel with other Chinese families, particularly when young children are involved. This allows children to socialise and play together while parents can share the responsibilities and costs involved. Travelling with other families is particularly popular in China as compared to the Western market, since Chinese families are more likely to have just one child. It is standard for this child to share a room with their parents when travelling as a singular family, so interconnecting rooms are generally less popular for the Chinese market. However, the group dynamics formed by multiple families travelling together will influence accommodation choices and attraction preferences.
Hotels and attractions should consider offering child-friendly audio guides, interactive play areas, rest breaks within itineraries and early dining times in order to provide the most accommodating experience for family travel groups.
Peak travel periods for Chinese families
Chinese families travel only within holiday periods that align with school term dates, as missing school is an absolute no-no. The Chinese New Year is a long school holiday, which allows families to undergo long-haul journeys to destinations further afield. The extended Lunar New Year holiday period in 2025, which was 8 days long, saw an increase in long-haul travel by Chinese families. The longest break of the year is the summer holidays, where families are more willing to undertake extended trips and explore multiple destinations. Popular long-haul locations include Europe, Australia/ New Zealand and the United States. Many Chinese parents view the UK as an educational opportunity for their children, so trips are likely to touch on university tours as well as historical sites and museum visits.
Although Golden Week in October is also a national holiday, it is relatively short, so families are more likely to travel domestically or to short haul destinations within Asia, and prioritise convenience. Top destinations in Asia include Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea- some are favoured for their simplified visa processes, while others are cheaper. Unlike independent adult travellers, families rarely travel outside these windows, since removing children from school approved holidays is strongly discouraged and carries social consequences.
The influence of teachers on family travel decisions
Teachers hold a uniquely powerful position in Chinese society as they play a significant role in shaping when families may travel. Chinese school classes operate WeChat groups where teachers communicate directly with parents. These groups are highly active and closely monitored, with teachers often posting reminders and attendance checks for all to see. Concerns about jet lag affecting academic performance are taken seriously and children who miss school without approval or who turn up tired for lessons can be easily identified. For parents, losing status within the class community is a real concern. Families are keen to maintain a positive relationship with teachers and are therefore reluctant to travel during short holiday periods for fear of the effects of jet lag or delayed return travel, and will avoid term time.
What this means for destinations and attractions
To appeal to Chinese family travellers, it is important to consider all of the above and go beyond generic ‘family friendly’ messaging. Destinations that understand and adapt to the limitations of school holiday windows, recognise the importance of academic outcomes with certificated activities for children and offer suitable accommodations for multi-generational groups will succeed in attracting this market.
For strategic insights into the Chinese outbound travel market, contact Guanxi here.