Traveler segmentation and themed travel have become the primary driving forces behind travel decisions, according to a report.
Chinese travel service provider Fliggy and social media platform Xiaohongshu on Tuesday jointly released a travel trend report about the May Day holiday.
Data from Xiaohongshu showed that about 60 percent of users chose their travel destinations based on personal interests. On Fliggy, experience-focused travel products have outpaced overall market growth, while a number of niche destinations have boomed. Meanwhile, user inquiries involving artificial intelligence have risen greatly, and AI recommendations have become a key factor in travelers' decision-making.
Travelers' preferred destinations and travel styles are also diverging at a faster pace. The report revealed that travel preferences have split into five distinct groups: photo-focused visitors, food lovers, sports enthusiasts, slow-paced travelers, and spontaneous travelers. Each group has clear preferences, leading to different destination choices.
Many travelers chose their destinations based on photo-worthy scenery during the holiday. Data from Xiaohongshu showed that film and TV shooting locations, niche scenic spots, and landscapes featured in textbooks were popular among photo-focused travelers. For many visitors, travel photography has become a must on their travel lists. According to Fliggy, Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Dali in Yunnan province and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province provide the most diverse offerings for travel photography.
Researching local delicacies at destinations, planning themed food routes, and hunting for distinctive local flavors have become essential preparations for many travelers before their trips. Some visitors chose to book hotels right near food-focused commercial districts during the May Day holiday.
Fliggy data showed that the search for keywords including stream trekking, fruit picking and mountain climbing has surged by 130 percent year-on-year during the holiday. Jinghong in Yunnan province, Qingyuan in Guangdong province, and Anji in Zhejiang province have emerged as top destinations for travelers who like outdoor activities.
The report showed that slow-paced travelers avoided popular scenic spots, preferring small cities with rich cultural heritage and destinations with abundant minsu (Chinese-style bed-and-breakfast establishments).
Those who set off spontaneously and make no detailed travel plans prefer to use AI tools to make their trips more convenient. AI consultation volume on Fliggy during the holiday increased by 56 percent compared with this year's Qingming Festival holiday in early April.
The report predicted that family-friendly travel will become the mainstream for the summer vacation. More young people who prefer quiet and uncrowded places will move toward niche destinations.
