Domestic travel bounces back to health

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Fliggy, Alibaba's online travel service provider, is offering more than 100,000 interprovincial group tour products and packages, a year-on-year rise of 114 percent. Air tickets and accommodations are included.

Many domestic airlines have launched fly-on-demand packages, which entitle tourists to an unlimited number of flights until the end of this year. Fliggy is also offering a limited number of tickets for domestic flights at a discount, with some journeys costing as little as 66 yuan, excluding surcharges.

Data from the platform show that the most popular destinations for such tickets include Shanghai, Chongqing and Kunming, capital of Yunnan.

In the first 20 days of last month, bookings for caravan travel on Fliggy rose by 120 percent year-on-year.

Summer destinations such as Qinghai and Gansu provinces are ideal for caravan travel, which appeals to young visitors who like to stay overnight in scenic areas.

Cui Yupeng, deputy general manager of Fliggy's domestic business, said: "The resumption of cross-provincial travel is helping tourism industry operators gradually recoup losses resulting from reduced business. If the situation continues to improve, people will have an increased desire to travel during the National Day holiday in October."

The company's data show that many people are likely to spend more on travel, especially on safety, Cui said. Customized tours and travel by small groups have also become more popular.

Wu Mingyu, assistant to the general manager at major travel operator CTG Travel, said, "There will be increased demand for domestic travel in the second half of this year."

The company's drivers and tour guides, along with tourists, must undergo temperature checks and wear face masks, Wu said. Vehicles are disinfected each day.

He added that the company, which has been developing new products to meet visitors' demands, will launch themed activities in key domestic destinations such as Beijing and the provinces of Yunnan and Hubei.

Wu Ruoshan, special research fellow at the China Academy of Social Sciences' Tourism Research Center, said: "In recent years, the domestic travel market has seen increased demand for good-quality travel and new holiday resorts. Traditional scenic areas are enhancing activities such as night tours and cultural events, while travel agencies are adding more themed and customized tours.

"Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, such developments have become more obvious. After the pandemic, tourists will be more cautious when making travel plans."

Wu said that after months of slack business, some tourism companies are in financial trouble, or even close to bankruptcy. Without market support, "they're like kites with a broken string that keep falling. But now, the recovery is easing their cash flow problems," he said.

Booking in advance has become an unwritten rule for tourists visiting scenic areas, Wu said, adding that a supervisory system and related standards should be established.