"Small group tours", "single tours", "same-age groups" and other new ways of playing are on the rise, why do young people fall in love with group tours again?

　　During the "May Day" holiday, the Mausoleum Museum of the First Emperor of Qin was full of tourists. Photo by correspondent Zhang Tianzhu and chief reporter Li Ming

　　In the impression of many people, when it comes to group tours, the first thing that comes to mind is the "duck catching" rush and tiredness, the reluctance to force shopping, and the endless "pits" and endless late group members...... But now, with the rise of new ways of playing such as "small group tours", "theme tours", "customized tours", "semi-self-guided tours", "single tours" and "same-age groups", group tours have gradually become popular among young people and have become the new "top stream" in the tourism industry.

　　It's not that free travel is bad

　　It's more cost-effective to go with a group tour

　　Liu Fei, a 32-year-old citizen of Xi'an, has just returned from Sanya. A few days ago, she spent a leisurely and comfortable "May Day" holiday with her girlfriends, and she chose a "semi-self-guided tour" for this trip.

　　In mid-April, Liu Fei began to compare hotel prices through major platforms, but to her disappointment, many hotels increased their prices during the "May Day" holiday, ranging from 200 yuan to 1,000 yuan. Considering the economic cost, she originally wanted to give up the "May Day" travel plan, but by chance, she clicked on the "group tour" page of an online platform. "Before this, I didn't think about going on a group tour at all, I was afraid of 'stepping on the pit', but I didn't expect that the current group tour broke my previous 'stereotype'." Liu Fei said that on the platform's "group tour" page, she saw several products combining "semi-self-guided tours" and "same-age groups", the tour fee includes round-trip air tickets, full hotel fees, etc., of which two days with a small group of 8 people to visit well-known attractions, the remaining three days of free action, not only worry-free, but also cheaper than their own play more than 500 yuan. After discussing with her best friend, she ordered the product. After returning from the tour, she told reporters that the group is full of young people aged 20-30, everyone has a synchronized life and rest, and there are common topics. Even when they come back, they still often chat in the WeChat group.

　　"Not only is it cost-effective, it can ensure the freedom of our travel to the greatest extent, but also expand the social circle and meet new friends." Liu Fei said, "It's not that independent travel is bad, but it's more cost-effective to travel with a group." ”

　　Also during the "May Day" holiday, Mr. Liu and his wife came to Xi'an to visit their son and went shopping. As early as a week before the holiday, Mr. Liu's son tried to book tickets for the Shaanxi History Museum, but never got them. In desperation, Xiao Liu chose a half-day tour product of Shaanxi History Museum, an online travel platform. "Buy the explanation service separately, 1 person also costs about 150 yuan, this half-day tour group is less than 10 people, not only do you not have to book tickets yourself, but also explain the service, 1 person costs 168 yuan." Xiao Liu said.

　　Travel agencies focus on differentiation

　　Customized services have become a new growth point

　　According to Ctrip statistics, in 2023, the total transaction volume of small groups of 2 to 9 people on Ctrip's platform increased by 100% compared with 2019. During this year's "May Day" holiday, the number of orders for private groups with independent groups and special car guides increased by 874% compared with the same period in 2019. According to data from Fliggy, the number of domestic group tour bookings during this year's May Day holiday has doubled compared with the same period in 2019.

　　The reporter noticed that while the growth of group tours, the traditional "one route sells everyone" tourism products gradually faded out of the field of vision of young people, and major platforms and travel agencies have launched new ways to play such as "small group tours", "theme tours", "customized tours", "semi-self-guided tours", "single tours" and "same-age groups", and Fliggy even listed "no need to get up early" as one of the screening items.

　　Ms. Li, who has been engaged in the tour guide industry for more than 20 years, told reporters that different from traditional group tours, "small group tours" are mostly combined with "customized tours".

　　In the "small group tour", one tour guide is only responsible for 2-10 people, and it will also be customized according to the traveler to make the experience better. As an "advanced version" of Citywalk and Mountainwalk, "theme tours" have attracted the attention of young people, and Hutong tours, autumn tours, ancient village culture tours, and herbal medicine tours are all popular "theme tours". "Semi-self-guided tours" and "single tours" are concentrated in some of the six items of traditional tourism, "eating, living, traveling, traveling, shopping and entertainment", and tourists can choose from their own combinations, with a high degree of freedom. During the "May Day" holiday, most of the people above the age choose traditional tour groups, and most young people choose new group tours.

　　"The traditional tourism mode of 'tour guide output and tourist passive input' has gradually been changed." Ms. Li said that today's tourism products are more inclined to "two-way travel" between consumers and travel agencies, and only such products can occupy an advantage in the market.

　　New style group tours are popular

　　It can better meet the expectations of young people

　　"I like in-depth travel and slow experience, and going out to travel is to slow down the body and mind and get rid of the 'class flavor' on my body." Liu Fei told reporters. The reporter also found that with the improvement of young people's pursuit of quality of life, spiritual enjoyment and travel experience, tourism has increased the attribute of providing emotional value in addition to the function of "long knowledge". Compared with the traditional group tour, modern young people want to be able to get a relaxed atmosphere and comfortable experience from traveling.

　　According to Ms. Li, the tour guide, the most popular group tour is overseas travel. This kind of spiritual cleansing brought about by the collision of foreign cultures, young people who need to quietly appreciate and enjoy, and take into account both peace of mind and experience, will naturally choose new ways to play.

　　At present, nature theme tours and cultural in-depth tours are more popular in the new group tours. The reporter noticed that at the end of March this year, a popular science magazine began to recruit summer vacation tour groups to Kenya, accompanied by both local experts and ecological photographers; An online platform launched a "Harry Potter" theme tour, and tourists who joined the group will go to the filming location for sightseeing, and these products have attracted many people to leave messages and consultations.

　　However, in the eyes of some citizens, compared with traditional group tours, the new style of group tours also has disadvantages such as high prices and the need for customized fees. "After all, there are high service costs, customization costs and various 'selling points', and the price of new group tours is generally higher than that of traditional group tours." But now that the market is also fiercely competitive, and prices are falling again and again, tourists can choose more cost-effective products according to their needs, Ms. Li said.

　　Buyers and sellers "go both ways"

　　It can promote the healthy development of the market

　　On the afternoon of May 6, the reporter interviewed Wang Xiaoyong, director of the Philosophy Research Office of the Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Social Sciences. In his view, the rise of new group tours is an inevitable trend under market choice. In the past, group tours belonged to a seller's market, and the "rules of the game" were formulated by the merchants, and the tourists who followed the group lacked "freedom". "We often say 'intersubjectivity,' and that's a good example of that. Merchants and tourists can establish mutual understanding and communication rationality, which can promote more and more fair transactions. Wang Xiaoyong said.

　　However, the new style of group tours is undoubtedly a huge challenge for travel agencies and various online travel platforms. "More innovation in business strategy, improve the selection of vision, make the service more humane, but also take into account the profit and profit, such a new business culture and market ethics, can make enterprises and the market flourish." Wang Xiaoyong said.

Source: Xi'an Evening News

Editor-in-charge: Cheng Yumeng