This spring, the tourism market experienced a remarkable boost. With the inaugural implementation of spring breaks for primary and secondary schools in many regions coinciding with the Qingming Festival holiday, a six-day "mini golden week" emerged, injecting fresh vitality into the spring travel sector. Data released by multiple travel platforms on April 6th indicated that the Qingming Festival period, overlapping with the spring break, defied its usual off-peak status, seeing a surge in family trips, study tours, local excursions, and long-distance travel. Industry experts anticipate that this pilot spring break initiative will further contribute to domestic travel consumption, potentially establishing it as a new engine for the cultural and tourism market between the Spring Festival and the May Day holiday.
The concept of spring and autumn breaks was initially trialed only in specific areas like Shenzhen and Hangzhou. Following its first explicit mention in the government work report in March, which supported qualified regions in promoting these breaks, provinces including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan, and Anhui introduced spring breaks for schools for the first time. The effect was immediate, successfully creating a family-centered "mini golden week." Scenes like arriving at Universal Studios at 8 a.m. only to find long queues were common, as families took advantage of the extended break. Theme parks were bustling, with families forming the majority of visitors and wait times for popular attractions exceeding 90 minutes. Similarly, Shanghai Disney Resort saw significant crowds on the first day of the Qingming holiday, with social media flooded with warnings about the high visitor numbers.
Data from platforms like Meituan, Qunar, and Tuniu showed that since April, 63% of travel searches were for trips outside one's home province, indicating a "cross-province visitation" trend. Theme parks saw a sharp increase in search popularity, with Beijing Universal Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort ranking among the top nationally, alongside a rise in interest for immersive Chinese-themed parks. Alongside theme park visits, educational trips to museums and cultural sites also gained traction.
Beijing emerged as the hottest travel destination during this period. According to data from lodging platforms such as Muzinn, Beijing, Nanjing, and Qingdao were the top three domestic travel spots for the Qingming holiday. Driven by the spring break, off-peak travel became pronounced, with Beijing's homestay bookings increasing by 32% year-on-year, securing its position as the most popular destination. On the Qunar platform, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai had the highest hotel bookings from April 1st to 6th.
To attract and retain traveling families, many destinations introduced innovative measures, including free admission to scenic areas, complimentary public transport, and discounts on study tours, effectively adopting a "child-friendly" approach. For instance, Beijing's cultural and tourism department launched a series of spring-themed activities and distributed various tourism vouchers through platforms, making it a top choice for families. Data from Tongcheng Travel showed that during the Qingming holiday, Beijing's overall search popularity for travel products surged by over 230% year-on-year, demonstrating strong stability and appeal as a national tourism hub.
Several cities that implemented spring breaks not only saw residents travel outbound but also attracted inbound tourists through initiatives like free scenic area entry, significantly boosting local hotel bookings. For example, Shunan Zhuhai and Xingwen Stone Sea in Yibin, Sichuan, offered free admission to kindergarteners, students, and teachers throughout April, leading to a 110% increase in local hotel stays from April 1st to 6th. In Huangshan, Anhui, 17 A-level scenic spots, including Huangshan Scenic Area, Xidi, and Hongcun, waived entry fees for visitors under 18, resulting in a 65% year-on-year rise in local hotel occupancy. Mianyang, Sichuan, also saw a nearly 40% increase in hotel bookings after offering free admission for both children and parents at various attractions. Additionally, cities like Nanjing and Suzhou provided free public transport for students, while sites such as Nanjing Dabaoen Temple and Qingcheng Mountain introduced ticket discounts for students.
The spring break travel boom not only heated the tourism market but also extended consumption to sectors like catering and retail, creating a multi-industry synergy that unleashed consumer spending potential. According to Trip.com Group's research institute, this pilot spring break is expected to further boost domestic travel spending, with total expenditure projected to reach 60 billion yuan, equivalent to adding a new "mini golden week." It is also anticipated to drive over 250 billion yuan in added value for related industries, continuously contributing to domestic demand growth. Tongcheng Research Institute believes the Qingming holiday validated the significant potential of the "staggered break + traditional holiday" model in stimulating consumption, further highlighting the role of holiday economies in driving local spending and industrial transformation. The tourism surge during the Qingming period set a positive tone for the spring market and hints at a potential continuation and amplification of this trend during the upcoming May Day holiday. Platform data indicates a "ripple effect" from the Qingming holiday, with search popularity for May Day travel products increasing by over 320% during the Qingming period.
Comments