Short escapes and traditions shape holiday journeys

China's tourism market remained vibrant during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, with traditional dragon boat races igniting nationwide enthusiasm for folk culture experiences. Short-distance getaways emerged as the preferred choice for urban residents, while families headed to mountains, ancient towns and scenic countryside destinations to reconnect with nature and immerse themselves in traditional culture, according to a recent report.

Online travel agency Trip.com Group reported on Sunday that women accounted for 57.3 percent of travelers during the holiday, demonstrating a stronger travel inclination among women.

Travelers aged 25 to 34 made up the largest segment of tourists at 36.1 percent. As the core force behind holiday travel, this post-90s generation increasingly prioritizes meaningful experiences, personal enrichment and emotional satisfaction over conventional sightseeing.

In terms of travel radius, inter-provincial trips accounted for 57.5 percent of all travel during the holiday.

Among travelers from the Yangtze River Delta, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, along with Suzhou and Nanjing in Jiangsu province, ranked among the most popular destinations.

Beijing residents showed a preference for northern escapes, including the coastal landscapes of Qinhuangdao, the historical city of Handan in Hebei province, and the famed Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi province.

Visitors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area preferred coastal summer retreats and watching the festive dragon boat races in cities across Guangdong province.

Besides that, the 2026 Northeast Football City League, or "Dongbeichao", was drawing fans from across the country, greatly pushing up hotel bookings in cities like Dalian in Liaoning.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival coincided with Father's Day on Sunday and came shortly after the conclusion of the national college entrance examination, creating a dual wave of family vacations and graduation trips.

Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand ranked as the top five source countries for inbound tourism during the holiday period.

With extensive international flight networks, mature tourism infrastructure and rich cultural offerings, major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen remained the primary gateways for overseas visitors.

At the same time, lesser-known destinations with distinctive natural landscapes and cultural heritage continued to attract adventurous international travelers willing to make additional connections and transfers to reach them.