HANGZHOU, China, 11 October 2024: Fliggy, an online travel platform wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group has released its 2024 National Day Holiday Travel Report, confirming a significant increase in reservations for domestic four and five-star hotels, tour packages, and car rentals compared to the same period last year.
Outbound travel has shown robust growth, following a strong rebound last year, with bookings rising over 50% year-on-year and outbound hotel reservations rebounded to approximately 120% in 2019 Levels.
Fliggy Vice President Zhang Chen said: “Travellers are increasingly looking for distinctive experiences that offer great value. We are committed to enhancing our platform’s efficiency and expanding our marketing tools to help merchants provide innovative services that meet and exceed customer expectations.”
More affordable travel options
Fliggy’s data indicates that average prices for domestic flights and hotel bookings have decreased by about 13% and 6%, respectively.
For outbound travel, average flight prices have dropped by approximately 19%, while hotel rates decreased by around 3%. Despite these cost reductions, travellers are prioritising rich and high-quality experiences.
Fliggy reports a nearly 40% year-on-year increase in bookings for domestic four- and five-star hotels during the holiday period.
Reservations for travel packages — including flights, hotels, dining, and additional benefits — have surged by nearly 40%. Outbound travel reflects this trend, with the average order value for vacation products significantly exceeding that of the same period in 2019.
Local leisure activities, such as sea snorkelling and helicopter tours, have experienced a marked rise in average bookings compared to last year. During this extended holiday period, both cruises and car rentals have seen a notable surge in popularity. Fliggy reports an over 40% increase in domestic car rental bookings compared to last year.
In the month before the national holiday, international cruise bookings on Fliggy surged by over 130% compared to 2019.
China’s hidden gems
Tourists were increasingly eager to explore lesser-known destinations in China due to favourable weather and ample time for exploration. Fliggy’s data reveals that emerging destinations are leading the country in travel bookings, including Wulong in Chongqing, Tashkurghan Tajik in Xinjiang, Lingshui in Hainan, Kunyu in Xinjiang, Shennongjia in Hubei, Nujiang in Yunnan, Beitun in Xinjiang, Ali in Tibet, Yushu in Qinghai, and Pu’er in Yunnan – all celebrated for their stunning natural landscapes and high-quality travel experiences.
While these hidden gems are gaining traction, major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Guangzhou remain top choices for travellers.
Favourites for outbound travel
For outbound travel, destinations within a four-hour flight — such as Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong (SAR), South Korea, and Malaysia — are particularly appealing. Among the top 20 outbound destinations, longer flights exceeding eight hours make up half of the list, including Australia, the USA, France, Russia, and the UK. The fastest growth in tourism bookings was seen in countries like Nigeria, Zambia, Chile, Turkey, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Belgium.
Booming island getaways
This year’s National Day holiday has grown in cultural and entertainment events across China, including concerts, music festivals and sports events. In Beijing alone, there were 313 commercial performances, totalling 1,580 shows.
Fliggy’s data also indicates a strong interest in cultural theme tours during the holiday. Activities such as traditional Chinese clothing photography (Hanfu), experiences of Intangible cultural heritage, and immersive historical site tours have proven particularly popular. Island vacations emerged as a favoured choice for outbound travel.
Islands figured among the top 10 overseas experiences booked during the Golden Week, with packages to islands in Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea accounting for more than half of the selections.
About Fliggy
Fliggy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA and HKEX: 9988 (HKD Counter) and 89988 (RMB Counter)) and is one of the leading online travel platforms in China.
