Locals flock to China over Japan for June holidays

Urumqi and Kunming draw a surge in family travel.

China remained Singaporeans’ top North Asian destination for the June school holidays for a second consecutive year, a Traveloka report showed.

The company said bookings to China were 40% higher than those to Japan and 130% higher than South Korea on its platform. The country also ranked third globally for total bookings, behind Indonesia and Malaysia.

Locals are also taking longer holidays and travelling further inland within the region.

Cities including Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou recorded average stays of three to five nights in March and April, compared with one to three nights earlier in the year.

“This shift comes as travellers look for alternatives to long-haul travel amidst uncertain travel conditions,” Traveloka added.

Destinations outside traditional tourism hubs also saw rising demand. Urumqi recorded a 40% increase in bookings, whilst Harbin saw a 16% rise during the winter season, driven by demand for its Ice and Snow Festival.

Meanwhile, Kunming emerged as a top-three destination amongst family and group travellers, serving as a gateway to Yunnan itineraries covering Lijiang, Dali and Shangri-La.

Charles Wong, vice president of commercial at Traveloka, said the company was seeing stronger interest in China’s interior provinces, particularly amongst group and family travellers seeking culture- and nature-focused holidays.