(Yicai) April 7 -- A growing number of Chinese tourists embarked on domestic trips during this year's Qingming Festival, contributing to nearly 7 percent growth in tourist spending.

From April 3 to April 6, around 126 million tourists traveled domestically, marking a 6.3 percent year-on-year increase, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced yesterday. With Tomb Sweeping Day falling on Friday, April 4, this year’s long weekend boosted tourism expenditures, rising 6.7 percent to CNY57.5 billion (USD7.9 billion).

Short and Rural Trips

Several travel platforms noted strong demand for short trips, with a high volume of visitors at key attractions and rural resorts near major cities across the country.

Flight bookings to popular cities during Qingming increased by 10 percent, surpassing the average level seen in the first quarter, according to online travel agency Qunar. Hotel bookings in these cities also saw double-digit year-on-year growth.

Around 40 percent of all travelers opted for short-haul trips, with Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Zhuhai emerging as the most popular destinations, according to Tuniu. Nearly half of the tourists chose short trips lasting two to three days.

Another travel agency, Fliggy, revealed that renting cars for trips within 500 kilometers was the mainstream choice among travelers.

Interest in nature was particularly high. Over the past week, the search volume for attractions like Wutong Mountain (Shenzhen’s tallest peak) and Tianzhu Mountain in Anhui province surged by over 80 percent compared to the previous week, according to Trip.Com. Rural tourism orders saw a 20 percent year-on-year growth, with the top themes being folk customs, flower appreciation, and ancient town tours, it added.

Travelers were also seeking novel experiences. The popularity of tea-picking tours grew by nearly 20 percent year-on-year, while interest in bamboo shoot foraging and wild vegetable picking jumped by 47 percent, according to data from Fliggy.

International Demand

International demand also rose, with ticket orders for overseas attractions increasing by 56 percent. International cruises nearly tripled in popularity, and demand for overseas train tickets grew almost fourfold, according to Fliggy.

In terms of overseas destinations, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Australia were among the most popular choices. Meanwhile, countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco experienced rapid growth, per Fliggy.

Finally, Tongcheng Travel reported a surge in hotel demand in destinations such as Japan, Russia, and Italy.

Editor: Emmi Laine