Nowadays, Chinese tourists travel no longer simply for sightseeing, but want to have richer experiences and emotional satisfaction. Recently, Tongcheng Research Institute and Tencent Marketing Insights jointly released the "China Travel Consumption Trend Insight White Paper (2023 Edition)" (referred to as the "White Paper"), pointing out that 89% of Chinese consumers have a strong willingness to travel, and there are four new trends in travel consumption in 2023: niche uniqueness, relaxed ease, unknown surprises, and deep locality.
Tourists experience a night tour in Hongcun Ancient Town, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Photo by Xu Jiadong (People's Photo)
From "hot mainstream" to "niche unique"
"When it comes to Fujian tourism, everyone thinks of Xiamen and Wuyishan, in fact, Fuzhou has stunning Pingtan sea views, romantic Minjiang sunsets and deep Sanfang and seven lanes, which are desirable." Tourist Wu Xin said.
The white paper points out that with the continuous enrichment of travel experience, 75% of tourists are more inclined to consider routes based on niche attractions when planning their travel routes this year, hoping to get new experiences. Popular attractions are crowded, some are homogenized, while niche attractions maintain their original style better. Many tourists believe that tourism is about combining their own preferences and actively exploring unfamiliar destinations to get a more unique experience. Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that search popularity for niche destinations during the May Day holiday increased by 172% month-on-month.
If you want to become a niche destination with a "unique personality", in addition to meeting the premise of few people, the attractions must also be different and rarely known, so that "no one has me, and everyone has me excellent", which will become a popular niche destination. A niche tour is a unique experience for tourists to dig deep into the destination, or visit a unique scenery, or absorb a unique culture, or enjoy a unique food, or experience a unique living environment.
The small train tourist trains in Jianshui County and Shiping County in Yunnan Province have been operated one after another, becoming a new tourist route, attracting many tourists to experience. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Wenyao
From "deliberate" to "relaxed and relaxed"
"I am in a first-tier city, the pace of life is very fast, and the pressure is relatively high. So I don't like to travel to fast-paced places, I will choose third- and fourth-tier cities or towns and villages, where the pace is slow and my mood can be relaxed. Beijing office worker Xuanyu said.
What is the purpose of the tour? In the past, seeing the scenery and tasting the food were the first ideas that drove people to travel. Nowadays, tourism is more of an emotional consumption, and tourism away from the place of residence has increasingly become an important purpose for people to soothe their minds and regain their strength. Tourism gives the body and mind new abilities, new perspectives and new experiences.
"My ideal graduation trip is not a special arrangement, just to rest by the sea, see seagulls, step on the beach. There may be an attraction arranged every day to enjoy it. Yi Han, a college student graduating this year, said. In order to get a sense of relaxation during the trip, the theme of travel is also different, some people like to spend their holidays in comfortable hotels, others use food and photos to relax.
The Shanghai Nightlife Festival recently opened, with citizens and tourists participating in the experience. Photo by Wang Chu (People's Photo)
From "thoughtful" to "unknown surprises"
As relaxation becomes an important travel concern, the itinerary is also more casual, no longer pursuing everything and leaving no regrets. People now care more about enjoying the trip than about how many attractions they've visited, rather than setting expectations about it.
"I don't want to visit the planned route, such as following the strategy to those popular places. I prefer to wander around casually, and on one trip, we walked through the countryside to a tea room and chatted with the owner for an unforgettable leisure time. Ms. Cheng, a tourist, said.
Many visitors want a more flexible itinerary and leave a little space every day. Impromptu travel and improvisational travel with advisible decisions while playing are more popular. The proportion of people who booked flights 7 days in advance on Tongcheng Travel dropped from 68% in 2019 to 13% in 2023, while 52% of travelers prefer to book accommodation after arriving at their destination.
Tourists like to explore the unknown and encounter different surprises. Zheng Wei, a tourist, recalls: "When we went to New Zealand, we met local fishermen on the west coast, and they took us to the sea to fish, and we had a chance experience. Since then, I've loved to interact with locals when I travel, which can lead to unexpected experiences. ”
Tourists visit Wuyi Fine House in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Kehong
From "Visit Here" to "Deep on the Ground"
Nowadays, some tourists prefer to immerse themselves in local life in tourist destinations rather than their tourist identity. They want to experience local transportation, such as renting a motorcycle to cross the streets and alleys, taking the Yangtze River Cableway to overlook the rolling Yangtze River; If you want to taste local food, the fireworks market has become a new choice for many people; I want to participate in local activities, make folk crafts, participate in sports... Deeply feel the charm of water and soil and leave exclusive memories.
Food is an important factor in reflecting the local culture and an important part of a happy trip. Visitors prefer to spend time looking for well-known delicacies that locals know, either hidden on street corners or hidden in the middle of the city. "I used to go to Chaoshan as long as I could eat beef hot pot, kueh teow, and braised goose, but now I care if this shop is popular with the locals, I hope to taste the food that the locals usually eat, and this time I found a special authentic marinated goose in a vegetable market." Tourist Yichen said.
"I've always loved running marathons, and when I travel, I keep an eye out for local marathons. I remember once traveling to Xiamen, I ran a platinum marathon. Mr. Liu, a tourist, said. More and more tourists want to participate in local activities, whether in the city or in the countryside, and the opportunity to participate is a worthwhile trip. As long as you are interested, from sports to folk experience, you can attract people to participate, and everyone has a lot of fun. (Reporter Zhao Shan) (Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition)