China’s Summer Travel Heats Up, Unlocking Student Travelers’ Culture and Tourism Spending Power

‌Summer Travel Market Booms as Graduation Season Arrives‌

With the arrival of graduation season and summer holidays, the travel market is experiencing a booking surge. Data from multiple online travel platforms shows that Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi, and Sanya are among the top domestic destinations, with family travelers remaining the main force for summer trips.

Summer is also a crucial window period for releasing consumption potential. Local governments are seizing the opportunity of the “summer economy” by implementing various measures to stimulate consumption. For instance, Hubei and Yunnan will launch “Summer Chill” campaigns featuring unique tourism products, while scenic spots in Jilin, Hebei, and Anhui are offering ticket discounts and waivers for middle and high school graduates.

Furthermore, to meet the peak summer demand, airlines are actively adding new routes and increasing flight frequency. Travel platforms are also introducing tailored itineraries targeting different customer groups to enhance the travel experience.

Analysts predict the 2025 summer travel market will reach new heights, driven by upgraded consumer demand and the rapid recovery of the supply chain, accelerating industry evolution.

‌Graduates and Students Lead Early Summer Travel Surge‌

Following the college entrance exams (Gaokao), graduation travel has officially commenced.

Data from Qunar indicates that high school graduates and some university students are “jumping the gun” on summer travel, with a peak lasting from post-exam until around July 10th. Group travel is characteristic, with June bookings showing a 22% year-on-year increase in hotel reservations for the 22-25 age group. Over 70% of these hotel bookings were for group stays.

Tuniu’s 2025 Summer Travel Trend Forecast Report also confirms that graduate travelers are leading the summer rush. This year’s graduate travel market features “frequent short trips combined with longer journeys,” with a stronger emphasis on emotional value and unique, flexible, novel experiences. Popular destinations among graduates include Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Sanya, and Chengdu.

Travel preferences vary. High school graduates are drawn to historical cities like Beijing, Nanjing, Xi’an, and Luoyang, with museum visits becoming a “must-do”. Top museums include the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army), the Palace Museum (Forbidden City), Shaanxi History Museum, Sanxingdui Museum, and Shenyang Imperial Palace.

Benefiting from visa-free policies, university students are fueling a boom in overseas graduation trips. Qunar data shows international flight prices in June are 10% lower than in July/August, driving early bookings with overseas hotel reservations for students surging over 60% year-on-year.

‌Families Remain Core Summer Travelers‌

As ticket sales for the first day of the 2025 summer travel rush (July 1st) begin, bookings for flights and trains are expected to surge, with families continuing to be the dominant travelers.

The Tongcheng Travel report anticipates the first peak will occur in early July, primarily driven by students. From mid-July onwards, the peak season will intensify, especially with families concentrating their travels, pushing airfare prices higher.

The report forecasts that families (traveling with minors) will account for 34.7% of passengers on domestic flights during the summer rush, and about 23% on international routes.

A report from UTour Group indicates that family bookings for summer travel are expected to exceed 60%, showing an increase from 2024. Demand for mid-to-long-haul destinations is strong, with significant growth in enquiries for study tours, educational trips, and family-themed products. Families prioritize “unique experiences” and “comfort,” making all-inclusive packages a mainstream choice.

Tuniu data highlights Beijing, Sanya, Lijiang, Dali, Guangzhou, Hulunbuir, and Guilin as favored family destinations. Products featuring grasslands, deserts, beaches, theme parks, and historical sites are popular choices.

Outbound travel is also rising sharply. CYTS Tours data shows families constitute over 60% of summer outbound travelers. Traditional long-haul destinations like Europe, Australia, the Americas, and Africa are seeing strong bookings, while short-haul group tours and private tours are also entering peak enquiry periods.

‌Airlines Expand Summer Schedules‌

To meet robust demand, airlines are launching new routes and adding flights.

China Southern Airlines will inaugurate direct Guangzhou-Tashkent flights starting June 30 and Harbin-Vladivostok flights from July 1. From July 11, flights on the Guangzhou-Phuket and Guangzhou-Kota Kinabalu routes will increase from daily to twice daily.

China Eastern Airlines launched a direct Xi’an-Istanbul route on June 24 and will start Shanghai Pudong-Almaty flights on July 4. Air China announced plans to open routes including Beijing-Tashkent, Urumqi-Tashkent, and Beijing-Almaty between June and July.

The CYTS Tours “2025 Summer Travel Trend Report” concludes that the summer travel market is poised for another peak. Upgraded consumer demand and the rapid restoration of the supply chain will propel accelerated development and innovation in the travel market