HONG KONG, 13 September 2024: As China’s peak season, the Mid-Autumn Festival, approaches, Fliggy, an online travel platform and a wholly owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group, has released its 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival Travel Forecast revealing a substantial growth in bookings.
Travel bookings over the past two weeks compared to the Dragon Boat Festival earlier this year indicated a surge of interest and bookings, flagging almost complete recovery to pre-pandemic levels. The festival season extends for the first weeks of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Celebrations and holidays precede and succeed the main harvest festivities on 17 September.
Domestic travel
Hotel bookings in China have surged by about 60% compared to the same period in 2019, with four and five-star hotels and boutique homestays accounting for 60% of total bookings.
Car rentals have more than doubled compared to the same period in 2019.
Prices for domestic flights and hotels are lower than during the same period last year but slightly higher than in 2019.
Interest in traditional Mid-Autumn Festival activities, such as moon and flower appreciation, lantern displays, and temple fairs, has increased by around 60% from last year.
Top domestic destinations include Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Chongqing, Wuhan, and Xi’an, all known for their rich travel resources in neighbouring areas.
Emerging destinations like Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Jingdezhen, Yanbian, Datong, and Diqing have experienced rapid growth, often more than doubling compared to 2019.
International travel
Independent travel has led to a roughly 30% increase in bookings for local leisure tourism services abroad compared to the Dragon Boat Festival.
Popular international destinations now include Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
More about the Mooncake Festival
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it falls on 17 September 2024.
It’s a time for family reunion, offering thanks to the harvest, and praying for longevity and good fortune. The festival is marked by various traditions, including:
Mooncake consumption: A sweet pastry with a filling, often containing lotus seed or red bean paste.
Moon watching: Families gather to admire the full moon, which is believed to be at its brightest and fullest during this time.
Lantern displays: Colorful lanterns are lit and displayed, symbolising hope and prosperity.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture, and Chinese communities worldwide celebrate it.
