As the May Day holiday approaches, travel market bookings continue to surge. According to the latest booking data from Tuniu, the number of travelers booking domestic packaged tours during the May Day period has increased by 10% compared to the same period last year. Among these, self-drive tour bookings have surged by over 50%, while independent travel bookings have risen by nearly 20%. In terms of individual product bookings, domestic hotel reservations have grown by more than 10% year-on-year.
Zhejiang, benefiting from an extended spring break allowing up to eight consecutive days off, is expected to see peak travel demand on the first day of the holiday. Major first- and second-tier cities are leading holiday travel consumption, with Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Shenzhen ranking among Tuniu’s top “popular source markets” for bookings so far.
Additionally, primary and secondary schools in cities such as Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou, and Quzhou in Zhejiang have combined spring break with the May Day holiday, creating another extended “3+5” holiday period following the Spring Festival. This has significantly boosted local travel enthusiasm. Bookings from Zhejiang users for the “spring break + May Day” period have increased by 135% year-on-year, with Huzhou and Hangzhou seeing more than double the number of travelers. Cities like Jiaxing and Taizhou also recorded growth of over 100%.
Driven by the spring break, travel demand from Zhejiang is expected to begin accelerating from April 28. Nationwide, the May Day travel surge is projected to start on April 30, peaking on May 1.
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou lead in destination popularity, with self-drive and group tours in high demand. Among domestic hotspots, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sanya, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Xi’an, and Wuhan continue to attract strong interest, ranking high in booking volume. At the same time, travelers are showing more diverse preferences in destinations and activities, with several distinctive locations gaining traction. Niche and in-depth experiences are becoming increasingly popular.
Destinations such as Rizhao, Lishui, Yili, Xuzhou, and Jingdezhen have seen bookings grow by more than double compared to last year. Kaifeng, Beihai, Jiaxing, Zhoushan, and Aba Prefecture have also recorded a doubling in traveler numbers.
In packaged tour bookings, self-drive and group tours are the top choices for Tuniu’s domestic users, accounting for 38% and 30% of bookings, respectively. For self-drive tours, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sanya, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Changsha, Nanjing, Dalian, and Xi’an are among the most popular destinations. For group tours, itineraries lasting three to six days focusing on spring outings, flower viewing, and cultural experiences are particularly sought after. Top choices include “5-Day Chengdu–Jiuzhaigou–Huanglong,” “5-Day Xishuangbanna,” “5-Day Shantou–Chaozhou–Nan'ao Island,” “5-Day Laojun Mountain–Longmen Grottoes–Kaifeng,” and “3-Day Hangzhou–Qiandao Lake–Wuzhen.”
For outbound travel, Thailand, the Maldives, South Korea, Indonesia, Italy, France, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Australia are among the most-booked destinations. Tuniu users continue to show strong demand for both short leisure trips and longer in-depth tours. Coastal and island destinations such as Bali, the Maldives, Pattaya, Jeju Island, Saipan, Phuket, and Semporna are particularly favored.
Five-day packaged tours are highly popular, with flexible itineraries that combine sightseeing and coastal relaxation being top picks. Examples include “5-Day Chiang Mai,” “5-Day Seoul Semi-Independent Tour,” “5-Day Bangkok–Pattaya–Samet Island,” “5-Day Bali,” and “5-Day Singapore.”
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