Chinese tourists are exploring more cities, smaller towns and rural destinations during the National Day holiday, with multi-city trips and slower travel gaining popularity.
For many Chinese travellers, this year’s National Day holiday is about more than visiting a few famous sights.
Some are hopping between several cities during the extended break. Others are heading to smaller towns and villages, where they can stay longer and explore at a slower pace.
The shift is reflected in travel booking data. According to Tongcheng Travel, more than 20 per cent of users booked flights to two or more destinations during the National Day holiday. Travellers on multi-city trips also visited an average of 1.2 additional cities.
Chengdu, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Xi’an and Haikou have become popular stops for travellers moving between destinations. More than 70 per cent of multi-city travellers booked tickets for at least two types of attractions, such as natural and cultural sites.
For example, combinations such as the Humble Administrator’s Garden and Suzhou Museum in Suzhou, and West Lake and Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, have remained popular. Visitor numbers at some attractions rose by more than 40 per cent compared with the same period last year.
County Getaways Gain Ground
At the same time, more travellers are choosing smaller destinations instead of crowded tourist hotspots.
Tongcheng Travel said bookings for county-level travel products rose 42 per cent year on year during the combined Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period. Travellers also stayed in county-level destinations an average of 3.2 days longer than last year.
The trend can be seen in places such as Yongtai County in Fujian Province. In the village of Qigan, visitors are staying in guesthouses and enjoying a slower pace of rural life.
At a guesthouse called Xinbo Yuanli, there is no hotel-style front desk or room card. Instead, visitors may be greeted with a pot of local green tea and a simple welcome from the villagers.
Elsewhere in Sanming, Fujian, tourists have been drawn to Guifeng Village, known for its well-preserved historic buildings. Local produce such as peppers, corn and pumpkins are dried outside traditional homes during the autumn harvest.
For some visitors, walking along the stone-paved lanes and trying locally made dried produce is part of the appeal.
The trend is also visible in Hejiang County in Sichuan Province. The county, located near the meeting point of the Yangtze and Chishui rivers, is home to historic towns such as Fobao and Yaoba.
According to Meituan, guesthouse bookings in Hejiang rose 139 per cent year on year on the first day of the holiday.
From Sightseeing To Slower Travel
The growing interest in smaller destinations also reflects a change in what travellers want from a holiday.
Instead of filling every day with famous attractions, some visitors are leaving more room for local food, traditional crafts and everyday life.
Shen, a traveller from Shanghai, plans to visit Jianshui in Yunnan Province with her family during the holiday. She was drawn to the town by its narrow-gauge railway, purple pottery and historic streets.
“We don’t want to pack our itinerary too tightly. We just want to take our time,” she said.
Jianshui is one of several smaller destinations drawing more visitors. According to Fliggy, the number of users booking travel products focused on natural landscapes and villages rose by nearly 50 per cent year on year.
Meanwhile, multi-city travel is becoming easier as travellers combine flights and high-speed trains. Meituan said the number of users booking flights to two or more destinations rose 70 per cent year on year, while users combining air and rail travel to visit several cities rose 14 per cent.
However, the holiday rush is already easing. As some travellers return home, domestic tour prices have fallen by around 35 to 40 per cent, according to Guangzhilv, with some popular routes dropping by more than 50 per cent.
Air travel prices have fallen the most for destinations such as Xinjiang and Tibet, while high-speed rail fares have remained relatively stable.
Written by Ronnie Yu.
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