As the national college entrance exams concluded, the first peak of the 2026 graduation travel season officially arrived in early June.
On June 10th, TONGCHENGTRAVEL released its "2026 Graduation Season Travel Report," offering deep insights into the travel consumption trends of recent high school graduates and their peers.
Data from TONGCHENGTRAVEL shows that as of June 10th, search popularity for the keyword "graduation trip" increased by over 300% month-on-month, and travel product bookings from users aged 16-20 grew by 35% compared to the previous month.
When choosing travel destinations, factors beyond traditional ones like natural scenery and cultural history are now top priorities for graduates, including unique culinary experiences, cultural performances, and esports events.
This shift indicates that Generation Z's travel decisions are moving from "seeing the world" towards "self-indulgence," with experiences and personal interests replacing traditional sightseeing as the new engine driving graduation travel.
A wave of "pleasure-seeking travel" characteristic of Generation Z is now in full swing.
Expanding Travel Horizons
The scope of graduation trips is being redefined, moving from local outings to distant adventures.
TONGCHENGTRAVEL data indicates that this year's graduates are traveling further, with over 70% opting for cross-provincial trips, and the average travel distance per person has increased by nearly 10% compared to the same period last year.
The top 10 domestic long-haul destinations for the graduation season are, in order: Chengdu, Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Dali, Nanjing, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Qingdao, and Changsha.
For graduates, these cities are not only rich in cultural and tourism resources but also consistently dominate social media, becoming tacitly agreed-upon destinations for youth.
Booking data shows that in the week following June 10th, the number of users aged 16-20 in flight bookings to Chongqing increased by 26% week-on-week, and to Dali by 21%, with similar increases in youth share for other top destinations.
Travel styles among graduates show a dualistic trend, coexisting between intense "blitz tourism" and relaxed "slow travel."
Some graduates continue the "blitz tourism" trend, visiting 2-3 cities within 3 days to maximize experiences in minimal time, with high-speed rail being the core mode of transport.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of graduates are seeking a slower pace, staying over 4 days on average in cities like Dali, Qingdao, and Hangzhou, choosing to relax on a beach or in an ancient town for a "laid-back vacation" to conclude their youth.
Concurrently, "booking on the go" is becoming mainstream.
During the graduation season, bookings for flights or hotels made within 3 days of travel increased by 8% year-on-year, and orders for flexible cancellation products grew by over 10%.
Graduates prefer to keep their itineraries flexible, making their trips more adaptable and unrestricted.
To help graduates create wonderful summer memories, TONGCHENGTRAVEL has partnered with cultural and tourism departments in provinces like Shandong, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, and Sichuan to offer exclusive benefits, such as promotional activities for students in the Yangtze River Delta region and themed events encouraging exploration.
Additionally, TONGCHENGTRAVEL has launched a graduation season flight campaign featuring group booking coupons, flight passes, student-exclusive perks, and mystery flight boxes.
The platform has also integrated ride-hailing, car rental, and airport transfer services to cover the "last mile" from airport to hotel, making the entire journey convenient and cost-effective for every graduate.
Flavors Fueling Travel
The 2026 graduation class is redrawing its travel map based on culinary cravings, with the motto "travel for a dish" gaining traction.
The top 10 food destinations for the 2026 graduation season are: Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an, Changsha, Wuhan, Shantou, Liuzhou, Yanji, Guangzhou, and Xiamen.
Spicy hot pot from Sichuan and Chongqing, northwestern noodles from Xi'an, raw marinated seafood from Chaoshan, and Liuzhou's river snail rice noodles outline the most appealing "food pilgrimage routes" for these graduates.
Food-related IPs are strongly driving comprehensive tourism consumption in associated cities.
As of June 10th, the overall search popularity for the top 10 food destination cities increased by over 40% week-on-week.
Popular food hubs like Chengdu's Kuanzhai Alley, Chongqing's Hongyadong, Changsha's Taiping Old Street, and Wuhan's Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street show strong appeal.
Booking data for the week after June 10th indicates hotel and homestay bookings within a 3-kilometer radius of these areas grew by over 20% week-on-week, with homestays and esports hotels being particularly popular among young travelers.
Furthermore, deep experiences combining "exhibition visits + food" are gaining popularity.
Search popularity for culinary cultural venues like the Chengdu Sichuan Cuisine Museum and the Jiaxing Zongzi Culture Museum has risen significantly, making them new cultural tourism destinations for young visitors.
Notably, beyond traditional food hotspots, Shantou, Liuzhou, and Yanji have emerged as dark horse destinations due to their highly distinctive local flavors.
Taking Liuzhou as an example, search popularity for the Chengyang Bazhai Scenic Area increased by 57% week-on-week as of June 10th, while searches for the Luzhai Xiangqiao Karst National Geopark and Xianren Mountain Scenic Area both grew over 40%.
Many graduates are upgrading their culinary enjoyment into deep explorations of ethnic culture and natural ecology beyond just "eating noodles."
Search popularity for attractions like Yanji's Mao'er Mountain Forest Park, Shantou's Nan'ao Island, and the former residence of Chen Cihong has also increased, showing that food is becoming a "new engine" for driving cultural tourism consumption in these cities.
To further meet the diverse travel needs of graduates and their families, TONGCHENGTRAVEL has fully launched its 2026 graduation season holiday theme campaign "Close the Book, Open the World."
The campaign covers four major travel scenarios: family trips, peer group travel, solo travel, and premium holidays, featuring self-operated small group tours focused on food series, cultural tours,祈福还愿 (prayer and vow fulfillment), theme parks, and popular destinations like Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, all available on the platform.
Passion-Driven Journeys
For the 2026 graduation season, travel among young people is shifting from traditional "sightseeing check-ins" to "interest-oriented" experiences.
Major performances and esports events are two core attractions effectively driving growth in destination accommodation, dining, and derivative consumption.
The top 10 destinations for watching performances and events are: Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, Beijing, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Harbin, Xi'an, and Wuhan.
During the graduation season, dozens of large-scale concerts are being held in major cities and popular tourist destinations across the country, with thousands of regular performances scheduled.
As of June 10th, search popularity on the platform for terms related to "concerts" and "music festivals" increased by 18% month-on-month during the graduation season.
Booking data shows that in the month following June 10th, the share of users aged 16-20 in flight bookings to these performance and event hotspots increased by over 25% month-on-month.
Hotel and homestay bookings within a 3-kilometer radius of major venues like Beijing's National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Chengdu's Dong'an Lake Sports Park, Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, and Guangdong Olympic Sports Centre Stadium grew by over 11% month-on-month.
Graduates tend to "visit attractions by day and head to the venue by night," perfectly blending event attendance with travel.
Esports competitions have also become a significant driver for cross-city travel during the graduation season.
Top-tier events like the League of Legends Pro League and the King Pro League are being held in cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hangzhou, attracting large numbers of graduates to travel for spectating.
Booking data indicates that in the month after June 10th, the share of users aged 16-20 in flight bookings to Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hangzhou increased by over 27% month-on-month.
These "event tourism" travelers typically stay for 2-3 days, with esports hotel bookings showing clear peaks on event weekends, and some popular venues selling out a week in advance.
Beyond the events themselves, graduates also deeply explore local anime districts, trendy shops, and特色餐饮 (characteristic dining), further extending the consumption chain and enhancing the comprehensive value of each trip.
While domestic travel热度持续攀升 (continues to heat up), outbound travel is also becoming a choice for more graduates.
With countries like Brazil and Turkey joining the visa-exemption list, over 80 countries now offer visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, providing more options for graduates booking their "first international flight."
Visa-exempt destinations like Thailand, Singapore, and Turkey are popular choices for graduate outbound travel.
Analysis from TONGCHENGTRAVEL indicates that the 2026 graduation season exhibits distinct "interest-driven" characteristics.
Generation Z is no longer satisfied with traditional sightseeing check-ins but is using travel as an important means of self-expression and emotional release.
Whether it's for a particular dish, a performance, or a journey with friends, "self-indulgence" has become the core logic for this generation of graduates when choosing their destinations.
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