With the summer travel rush officially over, the window for off-peak trips has arrived at its most favorable point. According to data released on September 5 by Meituan-W (ASX: 03690), nearly half of travelers opting for "low-season journeys" are aged between 20 and 30, with the most sought-after destinations including Beijing, Chengdu, Harbin, Shanghai, and Nanjing. Taking Harbin as an example, its cultural tourism bookings for September have climbed 19% year-on-year, with visitors primarily arriving from Baoding, Beijing, Shenzhen, Changsha, and Chongqing.
Airfare has also dropped to seasonal lows, offering additional incentives for those eager to travel on a budget. This month, numerous routes feature bargain-priced tickets, such as flights from Beijing to Wuxi, Quanzhou, and Yinchuan; from Shanghai to Weihai, Xiamen, Jieyang, and Shijiazhuang; and from Guangzhou to Hangzhou, Wuxi, and Ningbo. For as little as one hundred yuan, travelers can hop on a plane and enjoy a weekend escape in a different city.
Meanwhile, this year's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday are separated by just three days, making the "take 3 days off, rest 13 days" extended-leave strategy increasingly popular. Booking momentum for the dual holidays is building ahead of schedule, with Meituan-W (ASX: 03690) platform data indicating a clear uptick in travel bookings around September 24.
During the recently concluded summer period, Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Hangzhou, and Zhengzhou emerged as the top destinations favored by family travelers. Data from Meituan-W (ASX: 03690) reveals that visitors are slightly extending their stays when traveling away from home, reflecting a more relaxed approach to tourism spending. For instance, families most commonly linger for four to five days at their chosen destination.
From TV and film location tours to county-town stays and nighttime experiences, this summer has seen personalized, in-depth, and localized experiences become the most prominent trend in cultural tourism consumption. A representative from Meituan-W's (ASX: 03690) hotel and travel division noted that the platform will continue to enrich its specialized offerings across accommodations, ticketing, and entertainment, aiming to better connect travelers' unique preferences with cultural and tourism resources nationwide. This effort is designed to shine a spotlight on lesser-known destinations and distinctive activities, ultimately boosting the scale and quality of cultural tourism spending.