Ctrip: Macau remains among most popular destinations during holiday

Research from travel agency giant Ctrip shows that, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Macau is among the most popular destinations for Chinese outbound travel.

Over the past long weekend, the city has seen some 367,000 visitors, the majority of whom are from the mainland. According to the release, “the primary groups engaged in outbound travel from mainland China were individuals born in the post-80s (37%) and post-90s (36%), generations who prefer leisurely holidays.”

Aside from Macau, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo and Singapore were also the most popular destinations, with post-80s and post-90s spending an average of RMB 2,981 (415 USD) per hotel booking.

Hong Kong was the most popular option from mainland travellers, with hotel orders from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong increasing more than 18 times year-on-year. Many travellers chose to take the high-speed rail to Hong Kong, with orders for high-speed rail on Ctrip’s platform rising by more than 60% compared to last month.

“Most millennials opted for destinations based on proximity, visa and flight convenience, with many selecting routes within a three-hour flight time. Shanghai-Osaka, Shanghai-Jeju Island, Beijing-Seoul, and Beijing-Tokyo were among the most popular outbound routes,” Ctrip said in a statement.

Meanwhile, according to the online platform giant, as one of the last short holidays of this year ends, Ctrip data shows a growing trend for summer vacations, with search data rising 50% from the previous year.

“Families are eager to explore and make memories together this summer. In fact, as of June 14th, Ctrip has seen a surge in orders for parent-child tours, making up over 30% of all summer bookings and more than seven times compared to last year.”

“With growing supply capacity, it is clear that Chinese travellers have newfound confidence, with many families welcoming in trips this summer season and a positive indication of travel recovery,” it added.