Ctrip released its “2024 Summer Travel Market Report” on August 28th. The report highlights key trends in summer travel, revealing that 35% of summer bookings were made by parent-child groups. Additionally, car rental orders increased by 22% year-over-year, with new customers accounting for 49% of RV self-driving trips, of which 65% were family trips. Notably, both domestic and international study tour orders surged with international study tour numbers growing by 120%, with popular destinations reported as the UK, USA, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
This summer’s travel market exhibited resilience, characterized by robust domestic and cross-border travel, the ongoing popularity of family-oriented trips, and the high emotional value associated with experiences, city walks, and concerts favoured by younger travellers. The preference for cooler destinations was seen, and declining airfares and hotel prices due to supply recovery.
Outbound travel saw significant growth, with a 40% increase in orders compared to last summer. Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia were among the top destinations in the short haul market, with long-haul destinations New Zealand, the USA and UK the most popular. The “Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand” triangle, buoyed by visa exemptions, saw a 50% increase in order volume, with overall prices dropping by nearly 10%.
Experiences offering high emotional value, such as sports, concerts and rural tourism, also gained traction. Performance-related tourism products grew by 70%, with 90s-born travelers showing the most enthusiasm. The Olympics drove a 129% year-over-year increase in travel to Paris, while the launch of the domestic game “Black Myth: Wukong” led to a 261% increase in ticket orders for Mount Xiaotian.
Domestically, travellers are exploring rural areas with trips to county-level destinations outpacing first-tier cities. Popular destinations included Dali, Dunhuang, Anji, and Yangshuo, with visitors primarily from surrounding first- and second-tier cities.
China’s national railway system recorded 802 million passenger trips as of August 25th, a 6.2% increase year-over-year, while civil aviation transported 117 million passengers by August 20th, an 11% increase. Domestically, the most popular summer tourist cities included Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou, while cities like Changji, Shuozhou, Jingdezhen, Datong, and Deyang saw rapid growth.
Inbound travel to China is growing in line with the government’s ambitions with inbound tourism to China increasing by 70% year-on-year. South Korea led the way, followed by Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the USA. Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, and Chengdu were the most popular cities for inbound tourists, with newer destinations like Zhangjiajie, Lijiang, Chongqing, Suzhou, Xiamen, and Tianjin experiencing a surge in inbound tourism.
Indoor activities, such as museum visits, also saw double-digit growth, with museum bookings surpassing theme parks.
Overall, the report suggests a shift towards more rational pricing and travel behavior as the supply chain recovers. As the peak seasons of Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day approach, further price reductions are expected, creating opportunities for off-peak travel. Ctrip’s “919 Global Travel Bargain Festival” will offer discounts and promotions to encourage travel during this period.
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