SINGAPORE, 1 October 2024: On the eve of China’s National Day “golden week” holiday season, Fliggy, a leading online travel platform in the Alibaba Group, has released its 2024 National Day Holiday Travel Forecast, highlighting several key trends.
Long-distance travel dominates: Overseas travel bookings have surpassed last year’s numbers by a wide margin, with rental car and cruise reservations doubling as travellers seek unique experiences.
Inbound travel trends: Train tickets for the holiday went on sale on 17 September, with some popular routes selling out quickly. Key routes include Shenzhen-Guangzhou, Chengdu-Chongqing, Shanghai-Hangzhou, Shanghai-Wuhan, and Shenzhen-Wuhan.
With ample time off and cooler weather anticipated, travellers are eager to explore farther destinations this holiday. Major cities remaining top choices for bookings include Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Chongqing, and Xi’an.
Emerging destinations are seeing a surge in interest, like Wulong in Chongqing, Nujiang in Yunnan, Meishan in Sichuan, Heihe in Heilongjiang, Shuozhou in Shanxi, Tumushuke in Xinjiang, Chengmai in Hainan, Chongzuo in Guangxi, and Tacheng in Xinjiang, thanks to their stunning scenery and affordable prices.
Outbound travel destinations: Popular outbound destinations include Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the United States. Countries experiencing the fastest growth in bookings include Chile, Croatia, Belgium, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, the UAE, and Sri Lanka.
Emphasis on unique experiences: This year’s travellers prioritise quality and variety, with average spending up by nearly 6% compared to last year, despite having one fewer official holiday days this year.
Popular activities include cultural tours, such as exhibitions and traditional costume photography, and outdoor pursuits like forest hikes, fishing, and sailing.
Cruise vacations and self-driving tours abroad are booming; overseas rental car bookings have surged by over 150%, while cruise reservations have skyrocketed by nearly 600% compared to last year.
Affordable travel options: Both inbound and outbound hotel and flight rates are lower than last year, with average hotel rates down by about 4.5% and flight prices seeing even more significant reductions.
For example, a direct flight from Shanghai to Haikou on 4 October starts at RMB213 (including taxes), while a flight from Hangzhou to Jeju Island on 5 October sells at RMB410 (including taxes).
