Ctrip data reveals increases in Chinese travel abroad and to second and third tier this year during Dragon Boat Festival

BEIJING, China – During the most recent Dragon Boat Festival this week, many Chinese chose to travel, and choices made this season reflects the falling prices over the same period last year. Ctrip traffic data show that domestic travel from first-tier cities to second and third tier cities, and travel to overseas destinations are increasingly popular. At the same time, Ctrip price data show that the average price of many popular routes and hotels declined over the same period last year, which drove consumer choices this year.

 

According to the data provided by Ctrip, nearly 70% of passengers chose to travel overseas during the Dragon Boat Festival, among which independent travelers represented over 55%. Hong Kong is the most popular outbound destination, representing a growth of more than 100%. Southeast Asia remains a popular destination with many tourists choosing Phuket, Okinawa, Maldives, Sabah and Bali, where the number of visitors increased by over 50%. Ctrip believes that the expansion of the paid leave system is encouraging domestic travelers to travel farther during the holiday, allowing for cities like Frankfurt and Barcelona to now be increasingly popular. In total, the most popular overseas destinations according to ticket sales are Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Osaka, Phuket, London and Los Angeles.

 

Ctrip pricing index also shows that the price of tour packages for certain routes fell over the same period last year. For instance, tours from Shanghai to Okinawa was down 16.8% last year, and the average price of Guangzhou to Taipei route fell 13.7%. Flight tickets pricing from Hangzhou to Osaka dropped more than 30% over the same time last year, representing the biggest decline. Other routes such as Kunming-Bangkok, Nanjing-Phuket, and Xiamen-Singapore also see some price drops. From this data, passengers make more cost-effective choices when deciding to travel during the holiday. In addition, hotel prices dropped. In Hong Kong, the average hotel room price per night fell 13.1% during the same period last year, and the drops on Bali and Osaka were close to 10%. From the data on Hong Kong, Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, Macau, and Bali, four- and five-star hotels accounted for 80% of bookings, with Bali accounting for 90.4% of these high-star bookings.

 

“The decline in the average price of the hotel night means that users can spend the same money to live in a better hotel and enjoy a better service experience,” Ctrip experts say.

 

Ctrip tourism experts believe as domestic destinations are developing, they attract a large number of tourists. Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Suzhou are the three most popular destinations in terms of independent trips. Another reason why third-tier cities are so popular this year is that with so many people flocking to traditional tourist destinations, some travelers may be searching for alternative places to visit. 

 

Hangzhou was the most popular hotel destination among the second- and third-tier cities, and the third most popular in China, behind only Shanghai and Beijing, in terms of hotel bookings. Its growth last year in this regard was a high 110%. Ctrip experts believe that in the post-G20 era, Hangzhou has developed strong tourism potential. During the Dragon Boat Festival last year, travel to Hangzhou by rail increased by more than 120%.

 

In terms of tour package pricing, the cost of tour packages from Kunming to Hangzhou displayed the largest decline compared with the same period last year, falling on average more than 30%. In addition, for tour packages between places such as from Changzhou to Sanya, Yantai to Guangzhou, Nanning to Suzhou, as well as other lines, prices fell by about 20% over last year.

 

Ctrip’s historical price data reveals that the average night price of hotels in these cities have declined as well. For instance, last year, the average price in the Jiuzhaigou area on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival is 267 yuan, which was 12.2% less than the year before. Hotel occupancy in Tianjin increased by over 300% last year due to lower costs. Among the top ten destinations, such as Xiamen and Xi’an, growth in hotel bookings also broke into three digits. Ctrip tourism experts note that, “in the past two years, second and third tier cities have continued to grow their income, their consumer demand and domestic tourism potential.”

 

“The increasing amount of travel deals makes this a good time to travel,” Ctrip experts say.