January 2023 brings exciting news for travel enthusiasts as China lifts entry restrictions and welcomes tourists with open arms. The Chinese tourism market is back in full swing, with an impressive surge in demand during the Spring Festival.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of domestic trips in January 2023 increased by a whopping 23.1% YoY, reaching 308 million. In addition, domestic tourism revenue has increased by 30% YoY, reaching 375.843 billion yuan. This is a remarkable recovery to 73.1% of the same period in 2019, indicating a promising rebound for the industry.
Comprehensive travel booking apps are a key driver of this growth, with impressive figures reported by major players such as Ctrip, Qunar, Fliggy Travel, Mafengwo Travel, and Tongcheng Travel. These apps have seen impressive growth in the number of active users, with some as high as 29.84%. What’s more, the per capita usage time of these apps has increased significantly, indicating that users find the content more appealing and are more likely to convert to actual travel behaviour.
The per capita usage time of China’s major comprehensive travel booking apps:
Qunar: 2.56 hours, an increase of 25.25%
Ctrip: 1.38 hours, an increase of 23.14%
Tongcheng Travel: 0.36 hours, an increase of 20.99%
Fliggy Travel: 0.33 hours, an increase of 45.86%
Mafengwo Travel: 0.24 hours, an increase of 36.98%
List of marketing cases of comprehensive travel booking apps in China:
Ctrip
Get ready to embark on an adventure of a lifetime with Ctrip, your ultimate travel companion. Ctrip has taken the world by storm with its impressive range of travel packages, including a whopping 700 outbound group tour projects in January alone, covering 15 countries and regions. With nearly 400 self-operated projects in 9 countries, Ctrip ensures you have an unforgettable travel experience!
Ctrip has revolutionized tourism by creating the first-ever live broadcast of tourism with merchandise, in partnership with the Thailand National Tourism Administration. The live broadcast had over 10 million viewers at home and abroad, with more than 110,000 orders for Thai products sold in just one day!
From January 11, Ctrip Group and the Macao SAR Tourism Bureau have launched an incredible 50% off hotel vouchers to help revive tourism in Hong Kong and Macao. With Ctrip by your side, you can explore the world while saving big.
Fliggy Travel
Fliggy Travel is making waves with its exciting “Hello, Tomorrow” plan, launched on December 12, 2022! This comprehensive travel platform has already released more than 900 thrilling outbound travel packages for Chinese mainland consumers, perfect for satisfying your wanderlust during the upcoming Spring Festival. And the best part? Fliggy is doubling its subsidies to make your travels even more affordable and memorable. It’s no wonder that from January 8th to February 6th, the average daily number of travellers using Fliggy’s overseas local entertainment services increased by more than four times compared to the previous period. Get ready to say hello to your dream destination with Fliggy Travel!
Tongcheng Travel
Tongcheng Travel is a leader in tourism recovery with a strategic partnership with Tahiti Tourism Bureau, Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and Zigong Chinese Lantern World. Their efforts have resulted in exciting travel opportunities for adventurers seeking unforgettable experiences. In addition, the company has officially upgraded its WeChat mini-program “Chengchebei” to the irresistible “City Link”, offering a comprehensive array of daily travel and local entertainment services for explorers of all types.
These innovative strategies have helped spur tourism growth and create exciting new opportunities for travellers.
Unlock the future of travel with positive market trends
Exciting times are ahead for the travel industry! Major platforms are constantly releasing new tourism products, and more and more people are taking advantage of them. The national tourism market is on the upswing and we see a bright future on the horizon. As long as there are no major setbacks from the covid infection, we can expect a continuous upward trend in the tourism industry.
Tourism companies are quickly rebuilding their supply chains to ensure that they can provide the best possible travel experience for their customers. While most of the tourists travelling in January were post-80s and post-90s young tourists, we anticipate that middle-aged and elderly groups will join the travel fun over time. Get ready to experience the joy of travel again!
Get in touch with us now to discover more.