During the Spring Festival holiday, ride-hailing orders from users aged 55 and above, who typically reside in third-tier or lower cities but traveled to first-tier and new first-tier cities, saw a daily average increase of 45% year-over-year. As the longest Spring Festival holiday in history concluded, public enthusiasm for travel remained high. Data from the Ministry of Transport indicated that cross-regional passenger trips totaled 5.08 billion in the first 20 days of the travel rush. Platform statistics also reflected strong demand for ride-hailing, car rentals, and tourism during the holiday.
A Spring Festival Consumption Insights Report highlighted that holiday travel this year was influenced by various factors, including reverse migration for the New Year and travel inspiration from the Spring Festival Gala, with family trips emerging as a key driver of cultural and tourism spending. The trend of reverse migration has gained prominence in recent years, with many families shifting from the traditional model of children returning home to parents traveling to their children's workplaces for the holiday. The report identified popular reverse migration flight routes as Chengdu-Beijing, Chengdu-Shanghai, Hangzhou-Guangzhou, Xi'an-Shenzhen, and Zhengzhou-Shenzhen.
Ride-hailing data showed that this "two-way migration" for family reunions contributed to a 20% daily average increase in cross-city ride-hailing orders year-over-year in first-tier cities during the holiday, marking the highest growth in recent years. Hangzhou saw a 21% daily average rise in ride-hailing orders, while other major cities like Shenzhen, Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha, and Guangzhou also recorded double-digit growth. A ride-hailing driver in Beijing noted that he chose to work through the holiday due to steady demand, particularly during the return travel peak, extending his shifts until 10 p.m. daily.
As a popular destination for reverse migration, Shenzhen experienced significant growth in cultural and tourism consumption. Travel booking data indicated a 77% year-over-year increase in cultural and tourism bookings for Shenzhen during the holiday, with Window of the World, Happy Valley, and Splendid China Folk Village among the top attractions. While reverse migration gained traction, many still opted to return home for the holiday. Ride-hailing data showed a 95% increase in cross-city ride-hailing orders in third-tier and lower cities compared to usual days. The nine-day holiday also spurred a "return home first, travel later" trend, with demand for six-seater vehicles rising by 141% due to group travel needs. Dining venues and visiting relatives were the most common ride-hailing scenarios, accounting for 15% and 11% of trips, respectively.
A consumer survey revealed that 45.2% of respondents chose to stay home for the holiday, with hosting relatives or resting being primary activities, while 42.1% opted for travel-related plans, including family trips and rural getaways. Notably, the integration of AI with the reverse migration trend led younger generations to use local lifestyle AI assistants to explore new ways of celebrating with parents in major cities. Data showed that over half of the users employing an AI assistant for local entertainment planning during the holiday were young, with many queries including terms like "parents" and "senior-friendly."
The Spring Festival Gala, held in branch venues in Harbin, Yiwu, Hefei, and Yibin, inspired many viewers to travel to these locations. Travel bookings for Yibin and Hefei increased by 56% and 30% year-over-year, respectively, while Yiwu emerged as the county-level city with the highest tourism热度. The city set up 10 "Gala-themed" check-in spots, attracting numerous visitors, with searches for a restored historical street surging fivefold. A traveler from Beijing reported adding a visit to Harbin's Music Park snowmen to their itinerary after watching the Gala, noting that high-speed rail tickets were quickly sold out, reflecting strong travel demand.
Industry experts highlighted that the extended holiday boosted overall cultural and tourism market growth, with heritage tours and family travel gaining momentum. Destinations like Yiwu leveraged the Gala's influence to attract visitors, driving increases in dining and entertainment spending. Beyond Gala-inspired travel, traditional destinations like Yunnan, Xinjiang, and Hainan also saw significant growth in non-local visitors. Long-distance travel of over 300 kilometers rose by 70%, though survey data indicated a shift toward more rational, experience-focused, and relaxed travel plans this year. Specifically, 37.2% of respondents preferred short-distance or nearby micro-vacations to avoid long journeys, while 29% emphasized deeper experiences like cultural workshops. Another 27.4% opted for emerging or lesser-known destinations over previous hotspots, seeking both novelty and避开 crowds.
Family travel was a defining feature of the holiday, with group vacation spending up 79% year-over-year. This trend was reflected in ticket bookings, where two-person tickets increased by 91% and parent-child tickets by 76%, with "two adults, one child" packages being the most popular. The extended holiday also fueled a car rental boom, with bookings up 80% year-over-year and an average rental period exceeding six days. Top pickup cities included Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Chengdu, and Kunming. Demand for refueling surged in cultural hubs like Shantou and ice-snow cities like Harbin, with orders up 45% and 22%, respectively. International visitors also participated in the festivities, with ride-hailing orders from overseas users growing by 74%, led by travelers from South Korea, Russia, Malaysia, and Singapore.