Travel platform Fliggy releases 2024 summer travel report

Online travel platform and Alibaba Group subsidiary Fliggy released its Summer Travel Report for this year, revealing significant year-on-year growth in average booking volume and spending per consumer. 

This upward trend is consistent with patterns observed during the Labor Day and Dragon Boat Festival holidays, further reflecting travelers’ growing desire for immersive experiences. 

Fliggy also announced that its Summer Protection services have provided protection to nearly one million travelers this season.

The platform’s vice-president Zhang Chen said, “Our latest report shows the trend of travelers opting for higher-quality activities and personalised travel products is becoming a reality and the new norm. [We] remain attuned to market trends and committed to delivering enriching experiences for all our customers, [and] will continue to enhance our offerings, expand the travel product portfolio, and reinforce service protection measures to meet the evolving needs of travelers.”

Quality in domestic travel

Fliggy’s data indicates a significant increase in demand for premium travel services. The average booking per consumer for four- and five-star hotels, package tours, and car rentals in the domestic market have all shown impressive year-on-year growth. 

Domestic package tour bookings have seen double-digit growth and bookings for directly-operated brand hotels have risen by approximately 30 percent following a strong rebound in bookings last summer.

Self-driving tours are increasingly popular, with domestic car rental bookings rising by 60 percent year-on-year. 

Families are also renting cars to explore more far-flung destinations such as Altay in Xinjiang, the Lesser Khingan Mountains, or the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop. In Northern and Western China, popular destinations like Heihe, Alar and Bijie have seen car rental bookings increase by over 200 percent compared to last year.

The release of the Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong also drove tourism to its featured locations, including the Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Temple in Shanxi province. 

Likewise, the Fliggy report shows that ticket bookings for scenic spots in Shanxi Increased by over 60 percent year-on-year, while car rental bookings have risen by more than 130 percent.

Independent experiences dominate outbound travel

Independent travel continues to lead the outbound travel market this summer, representing over 80 percent of total bookings. 

Consumers are seeking immersive local experiences, such as visiting historic sites and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants. The transaction volume for international cruises and car rentals has increased over 20 and 5 times year-on-year, respectively.