With the 2021 college entrance examination approaching, some parents of test takers have begun to book hotels near the test center to facilitate candidates' rest. Data from a number of travel booking agencies show that this year's college entrance examination room bookings are hot again, with bookings increasing by more than 30% over the same period in 2019, and hourly rooms during lunch breaks are very popular. It is expected that after June 1, the college entrance examination room booking will usher in a new peak.
The first round of gaokao room booking boom began on May 27, qunar booking data shows that Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu became the three cities with the highest number of college entrance exam bookings. When parents book a college entrance examination room, without exception, they note that there is a requirement for a non-smoking room, and it is not uncommon for high floors, back streets, away from elevators and tail rooms.
Judging from the booking situation, during the college entrance examination, standards such as high-end hotels or chain hotels are not the priority of parents, and the distance from the examination room is the most important thing for parents. Data from several travel booking agencies shows that hotels within 2 km of the testing room are the most popular among test takers and parents. Taking Beijing as an example, a hotel 300 meters away from the Affiliated Middle School of Beijing Normal University is the most popular, and some room types from June 6 to 9 have been booked.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to the hotel, the well-located and cooking homestay has also been favored by test takers and parents this year. Data from Tujia, a homestay booking platform, shows that as of May 31, the search volume of homestays around the test center increased by more than 700% compared with April. Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Jinan, Hefei, Changsha and other cities are the most popular gaokao homestay bookings, and the number of homestay advance bookings around popular test centers increased by more than 15% month-on-month. "Not close to the test center, sleeping quietly at night, whether you can cook, how the air conditioning and ventilation are, whether the service is in place, etc., are the primary factors for parents to consider when booking a homestay." The relevant person in charge of Tujia said that considering the approaching examination period, the prices of hotels around the test center will generally increase, and the supply of housing will be in short supply, in recent years, more and more parents have begun to lock their eyes on the homestay that is closer to the examination room, can wash and cook, and has a more homely atmosphere, and Tujia has also launched the "college entrance examination recommended room", which can help parents quickly choose their favorite room.
Tourism agencies expect that after June 1, the booking of college entrance examination rooms will usher in a new peak. From June 7 to 10, the number of bookings at hotels near the test centre will increase by more than 30% in the same period in 2019. Among them, June 6 to 8 is the concentrated check-in time for candidates, but nearly 40% of test takers will check in early to adapt to the surrounding environment. Taking Beijing as an example, the 2021 college entrance examination time is June 7-10, and June 5-6 is the peak of occupancy. In addition to staying in the college entrance examination room, the hourly room near the test center has also become the choice of many test takers and parents to take a lunch break. June 7 and 8 are the two most intensive days for hourly room bookings. It is understood that the price of this year's college entrance examination room is basically the same as that in 2019, and the average price of the college entrance examination hourly room is 124 yuan, which is only 20 yuan more expensive than in 2019.