{"id":2438,"date":"2021-04-26T11:50:03","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T09:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.forwardkeys.com\/record-breaking-labour-day-holiday-travel-in-china\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T12:34:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T11:34:20","slug":"record-breaking-labour-day-holiday-travel-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardkeys.com\/es\/record-breaking-labour-day-holiday-travel-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Record-breaking Labour Day holiday travel in China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chinese domestic travel during the forthcoming Labour Day holiday is set to exceed pre-pandemic levels substantially, according to research undertaken by ForwardKeys.<\/p>\n

In recent years, Labour Day has become a significant national holiday. In 2008 it was cut back from a seven-days to a three-day break but was extended to four days in 2019 and five days in the last two years. Therefore, for those in the travel and hospitality industry, it is a holiday period eagerly awaited.<\/p>\n

As of mid-April, total flight tickets issued for travel over the peak period, 1st<\/sup> \u2013 5th<\/sup> May, were 5.8% ahead of where they were at the equivalent moment in 2019. Bookings for the extended holiday period, 28th<\/sup> April \u2013 9th<\/sup> May, were 9.8% ahead.<\/p>\n

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China\u2019s capital, Beijing, and Shanghai, where Disney Resort is celebrating its 5th<\/sup> birthday with a \u2018Year of Magical Surprises\u2019, will be the most popular destinations for holiday travel this spring, with bookings 31.4% and 9.7% ahead respectively.<\/p>\n

The country\u2019s southernmost city, Sanya, situated on the holiday island, Hainan, is proving exceptionally popular in the South China Sea, with bookings currently 59.1% ahead of 2019 levels.<\/p>\n

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Fewer people will be travelling as part of a group this spring. An analysis of passenger profiles shows that the share of group bookings is down from 17% in 2019 to 13% in 2021. By comparison, the proportion of people travelling solo or in pairs is up to 56%, compared to 52% in 2019.<\/p>\n

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In January, a resurgence of COVID-19 caused a substantial set back in domestic travel, with arrivals diving 69% compared to 2019.<\/p>\n

However, containment of the disease and innovative travel promotions have stimulated a spirited revival. Surprise destination promotions, known locally as \u201cblind boxes\u201d, in which the traveller purchases a flight ticket to an unknown or surprise destination for a very cheap price, typically $10-15, have been a big hit.<\/p>\n

Following the launch of \u201cplane ticket blind boxes\u201d by LY.com in March, more than 10 million people took up the offer in a sale coinciding with the Qingming Festival in early April, although not all purchases converted into flight tickets.<\/p>\n

Other leading online travel agents, such as Ctrip, Fliggy and Qunar, followed suit in the third week of April and LY.com has just completed a further round of blind box offers. The promotions have created considerable popular interest among young audiences on social media platforms.<\/p>\n

Outbound travel is almost impossible for the Chinese. The only exception is Macau, which has a bilateral agreement with mainland China for quarantine free travel.<\/p>\n

Currently, Labour Day holiday demand for the destination stands at 75% of pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n

Olivier Ponti, VP Insights, ForwardKeys, said: \u201cThis year\u2019s record-breaking Labour Day domestic travel is down to three factors: the release of pent-up demand, control of COVID-19 and imaginative marketing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Olivier Ponti
\n<\/strong>Vice-President Insights<\/p>\n

olivier.ponti@forwardkeys.com<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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