Off-Peak Tourism Gains Momentum Across China as Airfares and Hotel Prices Fall

Recently, off-peak tourism has been gaining increasing popularity across various cities in China, driven by falling airfares and hotel prices. This trend has not only offered cost-effective travel options for tourists but also sustained the vitality of the tourism market after the Spring Festival holiday.

In Dalian, Liaoning Province, the enthusiasm for off-peak travel has continued to rise. Visits to local travel agencies revealed that since March, with the reduction in airfares and hotel prices, the cost of group tour products has dropped significantly, leading to a steady increase in business volume. Unlike the Spring Festival holiday, the main force of travelers during this period is the elderly, who have more flexible time schedules.

As spring blossoms, southern travel routes featuring landscapes and flower fields are particularly popular among local residents in Dalian. Popular destinations include Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan, Enshi in Hubei, Guilin and Chongzuo in Guangxi, and Pingba in Guizhou. Registration data from travel agencies shows that the elderly are the absolute main force of group tours, with many families booking trips for their parents. A notable change is that the elderly prefer in-depth single-destination tours over rushed sightseeing, prompting travel agencies to design products that focus more on daily-style experiences of local culture rather than simply piling up scenic spots.

In Sanya, Hainan Province, off-peak tourism has also become a hit after the Spring Festival, attracting numerous tourists seeking cost-effective island trips. At sunset, Luhuitou Scenic Area in Sanya welcomes its most romantic moment of the day, where tourists stroll on the viewing platform to overlook the city with twinkling lights and the charming night view of mountains and sea, making it a popular check-in spot for slow travel in Sanya.

After the Spring Festival, airfares from major source cities such as Beijing and Shanghai to Sanya dropped by more than 60%, according to travel platform data. Hotels in Sanya have maintained a high occupancy rate during the off-peak season, with many hotels in the Dadonghai area launching off-peak packages and parent-child experience programs to attract visitors. A tourist noted that the price of the same hotel room, which exceeded 3,000 yuan during the Spring Festival, now only costs about one-third, making it very affordable. The deputy general manager of a hotel stated that the daily occupancy rate ranges from 75% to 85%, marking a small peak of off-peak tourism in Hainan.

In Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, airfares have dropped significantly since the Lantern Festival. Data from major travel platforms shows that airfares from Nanning to many popular tourist cities have plummeted, with the lowest price around 200 yuan — for example, the minimum fare from Guilin to Sanya is only 199 yuan. There are also bargain prices as low as 300 yuan for flights from Nanning to Chengdu and Xi'an, while airfares from Nanning to Beijing offer discounts of up to 80% due to reduced business travel.

In addition to airfares, hotel prices in many places have also fallen, further reducing tourists' travel costs. With the Qingming Festival holiday approaching, Guangxi is expected to usher in a new round of spring travel peak, and tourists are advised.