Chinese tourists are increasingly looking to escape crowded and noisy tourist destinations, instead seeking new and more unique experiences.
According to Trip.com, data from major Chinese travel service platforms show that hotel bookings at county-level locations increased 68% year-on-year in 2023, far exceeding the national average growth rate. The number of trips to rural areas increased 42%.
The tranquility of rural China
Many tourists also prefer to arrive in major cities by plane or train, then rent a car to explore the surrounding area. Quality tourist routes and preferential policies such as free highways have also contributed to the increase in car rental bookings in popular cities by nearly 50%.
Due to convenient transportation conditions, self-driving, renting a car or participating in rural tourism and exploring new places have become popular trends in China during this holiday. This has helped promote new tourism potentials of many places in the world's most populous country.
Traveling to remote, rural areas contributes to promoting the local economy, creating jobs for people and preserving traditional cultural values. Tourists have the opportunity to experience and better understand the importance of protecting the ecological environment.
With the increasing demand for new and unique experiences, the trend of traveling to remote, rural and independent areas is expected to continue to grow strongly in the future. Localities need to focus on investing in infrastructure development and improving the quality of tourism services to meet the increasing needs of tourists.
