China: 2021 Global Independent Travel Report

On 28 January 2022, the China Tourism Academy and Mafengwo released their 2021 Global Independent Travel Report. The following translation is a summary. Click here to view the original report (in Chinese).

Trend 1: Mini-Breaks

In 2021, Chinese tourists traveled more frequently than they did in 2020. The proportion that traveled three times or more during the year increased by 22%, with nearly 3% taking 10 or more trips. The dark cloud of COVID couldn’t keep people stuck at home any longer, says the report. Mini-breaks were the most popular kind of travel, with 61.6% of trips just 1-3 days, and a 251% year-on-year increase in local area travel.

Mini-breaks were most popular with younger travelers in first- and new first-tier cities. 42.2% of Chinese who took mini-breaks in 2021 were born in the 1990s, with 36.5% born in the 1980s.

Trend 2: Rural Tourism

More than 40% of post-90s travelers did a countryside trip at least once in 2021. Most rural tourism was done with family or friends.

Trend 3: Red Tourism

Red tourism was especially popular with young people in 2021, the centenary year of the Communist Party of China. 45.5% of Chinese who did red tourism trips this past year were born in the 1990s. 40% of those partaking in red tourism were interested in this kind of travel because it offers an immersive, educational experience, says the report.

Trend 4: Activities

The old way of traveling was about places, says the report; the new way of traveling is about experiences. Some of the standout experiences of 2021 included rafting in the snow, camping in an aquarium, and cosplay.

The top 10 activities on Mafengwo in 2021 were: Camping, self-driving, skiing, hot springs, museums, rafting, star gazing, surfing, diving, and fishing.

With the influence of the Winter Olympics, skiing is booming. As of 1 January 2022, bookings for skiing were up 70% compared to the year before on Mafengwo. Women far outnumber men for skiing reservations, says the report.

Additional analysis

In 2021, residents of first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) accounted for 39.9% of independent travelers in China, with another 34.1% from “new first-tier” cities. The report projects that new first-tier city residents will surpass first-tier city residents to drive independent travel in 2022.

Safety remains the leading consideration for Chinese travelers when making travel plans, followed by food and scenery.

Want more information on Chinese travel sentiment, priorities, and plans for outbound travel? Check out Dragon Trail’s monthly China Travel Market Monitor survey of Chinese with recent international travel experience.