Autumn colors and lower fares lure Chinese travelers

As the National Day holiday crowds thin out, China's travel market is entering a new seasonal phase. Falling airfares are making autumn getaways more affordable, while growing demand for warmer destinations is beginning to shape travel plans for the weeks ahead.

From mid-October to early November, some flights from Beijing to Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, are available at discounts of up to 90 percent off full fares, according to aviation data platform Umetrip.

Promotional fares of around 300 yuan are also available on some routes from Beijing to destinations in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Qinghai province and Liaoning province.

Travel agency bookings reflect the shift. Utour, a Beijing-based travel agency, reports that reservations for departures from October to December have increased 45 percent year-on-year. Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Sichuan and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region rank among its five most popular domestic destinations.

The timing coincides with the autumn foliage season across much of China. Golden poplar forests in Xinjiang, harvest scenes in Wuyuan county in Jiangxi province and the snow-capped mountains and colorful forests of western Sichuan are drawing visitors.

Travel operators are also refining their itineraries to appeal to travelers seeking more than conventional sightseeing. Utour has expanded its autumn offerings to include photography, light hiking, outdoor dining and small-group experiences.

One itinerary in western Sichuan, for example, combines mountain views with photography services, hot spring stays and visits to traditional Tibetan villages. The agency has also introduced trips of varying lengths and activity levels to accommodate travelers who prefer a slower pace and less strenuous routes.

Meanwhile, the seasonal travel trend is beginning to turn southward, as people in northern China seek warmer weather.

Umetrip's data show that demand for flights from Beijing to southern destinations such as Beihai in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Sanya in Hainan province is pushing fares higher for mid-to-late October and early November. Prices on many other routes, however, remain below holiday-season levels.

Outbound travel is also benefiting from the quieter period. Utour reported that Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and Egypt were its leading overseas destinations by booking volume. The agency said autumn packages to Spain and Portugal were about 15 percent cheaper than during peak periods, while bookings for trips to Southern Hemisphere destinations, including Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, rose 55 percent year-on-year.

The latest figures from the National Day holiday underline the scale of domestic travel demand. During the seven-day break, China recorded 826 million domestic tourist trips and 738.38 billion yuan ($109.7 billion) in domestic tourism spending. Daily averages increased 6.3 percent and 4.3 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.