On February 15, the "longest ever" Lunar New Year holiday officially began, sparking a surge in travel activity. According to the latest booking data from Tuniu, travel demand has been steadily rising since February 10. By the first day of the holiday on February 15, the combination of vacation travel and family reunions led to the first peak in passenger traffic, with independent travel and self-drive trips emerging as the dominant choices. Among these, independent travel accounted for 56% of all trips, followed by self-drive travel at 28%. Data from Tujia Homestay also indicated that homestay bookings on the first day of the holiday increased by 40% compared to the same day last year and rose by 30% from the previous day.
While many workers were still on their way home after finishing their last workday, a significant number of travelers born in the 1960s and 1970s had already arrived in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen to reunite with their children. This Lunar New Year, members of the post-00s generation, acting as holiday planners, have popularized the trend of inviting parents to celebrate the festival in first-tier cities. Data from Qunar Travel shows that on February 15, a large number of parents participating in "reverse migration" checked into hotels in these major cities: hotel bookings by travelers aged 60 and above surged by 60% compared to the previous day and increased by 54% compared to the first day of the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday.
Meanwhile, flight data revealed that on February 15, the most popular destinations for travelers aged 50 and above were all major metropolitan areas, with the top five being Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Routes facilitating "reverse family reunions" from smaller regional airports to large cities saw particularly notable growth. For instance, flight bookings from Heze to Guangzhou increased nearly sevenfold year-on-year, while routes from Wanzhou to Shenzhen and from Xingtai and Linfen to Chengdu each saw a fivefold increase. Bookings from Xiangxi, Bazhong, Yining, Hengyang, and Hanzhong to Beijing also rose fivefold, and flights from Yichang to Shanghai grew fourfold.
Many visitors engaging in "reverse migration" to large cities also flocked to tourist attractions on the first day of the holiday. Qunar Travel data indicated that on February 15, attraction ticket bookings from travelers in third-tier cities and below increased by 30% year-on-year. Bookings by visitors aged 60 and above rose by 10%. Among the most popular attractions for this age group, Beijing Universal Resort ranked first. The area around Universal Studios and its vicinity was also among the top five hotel booking districts in Beijing that day.
Yang Han, an analyst at Qunar Big Data Research Institute, noted that the popularity of reverse migration this year reflects both an evolution in the concept of family reunion during the Lunar New Year and a practical economic consideration. For the Spring Festival travel period, the trend of elders traveling against the typical flow helps alleviate congestion on popular routes while simultaneously boosting the cultural and tourism markets in major cities.
The extended holiday period also encouraged more multi-generational family trips. Data from Lingnan Holdings' subsidiary, Guangzhilv, highlighted a trend toward premium independent customized tours and exclusive accommodations. For example, on the afternoon of February 15, a high-end customized family tour group from Hangzhou checked in at Guangzhou Garden Hotel. The group consisted of 16 members, ranging in age from 76 to 7 years old, representing three generations traveling together. The family had planned their "away-from-home" New Year trip to Guangdong over a month in advance and opted for a private customized tour to accommodate their group size, composition, and comfort preferences.
Guangzhilv's data for tours to Guangdong during the holiday showed that high-end customized family tours have become mainstream, with families increasingly willing to pay for premium, comfortable travel experiences, driving higher per-customer spending. The aforementioned Hangzhou group's customized package included flights, accommodation, attraction tickets, private transportation, and a dedicated tour guide, with an average cost of approximately ¥8,300 per person. Additional expenses for fine dining were expected to push the total per-person expenditure above ¥10,000.
Tujia Homestay's report further indicated that multi-generational family travel during the holiday has increased demand for homestays with separate living rooms, private courtyards, and multiple bedrooms, which offer greater suitability than standard hotels. During this year's Lunar New Year period, bookings for standalone villas and multi-bedroom units increased by over 40% year-on-year, while homestays labeled as "family-friendly" saw a 65% rise in popularity.
In terms of booking demographics, travelers aged 30 to 45—representing the core family demographic—accounted for 70% of homestay bookings on the Tujia platform. Orders from post-80s and post-90s travelers each grew by more than 30% year-on-year. For this group, homestays are not merely accommodation but social spaces that facilitate multi-generational interaction and shared experiences.
Hu Yang, Senior Vice President of Tujia, commented, "This year's extended holiday and high travel volume have led to more personalized consumer demands. Homestays, with their diverse settings and lifestyle-oriented experiences, effectively meet family travelers' dual expectations for a sense of reunion and ceremonial atmosphere."
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