Wellness vacations surge in popularity

Wellness vacations have become an integral part of Chinese people's daily leisure life, according to an industry report.

Online travel platform LY.com in collaboration with Wuzhishan city, Hainan province, released the 2026 Insight Report on New Consumption Trends in Wellness Vacation on Tuesday, with an in-depth analysis of China's domestic wellness vacation market.

In terms of product preferences, ecological destinations featuring forests and mountains are gaining rapid popularity. Meanwhile, intangible cultural heritage experiences and ancient architecture tours have become a vital part of wellness travel thanks to their profound cultural connotations and slow-paced immersive experiences.

Off-peak travel has become a mainstream trend in wellness vacations. LY.com data shows that more than 63.2 percent of wellness vacation orders on the platform were booked on non-holiday dates, as travelers try to avoid the tourist crowds during public holidays.

Medium and long-term itineraries dominate the health and wellness tourism market. According to data from LY.com, regular health and wellness trips lasting four to seven days account for as much as 91.81 percent of the total. It reflects that tourists are no longer satisfied with packed itineraries but are willing to spend more time in destinations.

In addition, the booking cycle has shortened significantly, with 96.8 percent of orders completed within seven days before departure. It showcases what tourists want from their vacations: frequency, flexibility, and a slow pace.

First-tier and new first-tier cities remain the core source markets, with Chongqing, Chengdu in Sichuan province, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, and Shanghai leading the rankings.

Travelers aged 18 to 35 account for 53.4 percent of the total wellness tourism market, emerging as the core driver of sector growth. They prefer short-distance trips and experiences such as camping, fruit and vegetable picking, agritourism activities, and hot spring wellness therapies.

Hainan province has become one of the core health and wellness destinations nationwide, thanks to the combined advantages of its unique tropical climate, abundant ecological resources and Hainan Free Trade Port policies.

Consistent with the overall market trend, LY.com data shows that the wellness vacation market in Hainan expanded steadily in 2025, and its tropical, coastal and rainforest eco-wellness products have improved greatly.