China has witnessed surging demand for air travel during the ongoing summer holiday season, with more direct flight routes being launched to facilitate passenger travel, indicating a rapid recovery of the civil aviation industry in a post-pandemic era.
Data from multiple online travel platforms show that Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea are the most popular overseas destinations for Chinese tourists this summer, and the prices of air tickets for some international routes are even lower than domestic air ticket prices.
Take Shanghai as an example. The prices of direct flights from Shanghai to Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur and other cities in August are around 800 yuan (about 112 U.S. dollars) each, including tax, which are significantly lower than those for domestic routes of similar distances.
According to data from Air Travel, the average price of international economy class air tickets including tax in the summer of 2024 is about 18 percent lower compared with 2023.
"We see that international air ticket prices have fallen so far this summer, and the main reason is actually the resumption of more international flight routes. In terms of the departure sites, some non-first-tier cities such as Hefei, Changsha, and Wenzhou have had direct international flights," said Xiao Peng, a researcher at Qunar Big Data Research Institute.
Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China show that the number of international passenger flights has exceeded 6,300 per week, an increase of nearly 10 percent since the end of June. The number of international routes has further increased. In July, multiple new international routes including the Chongqing-Penang rout, the Yantai-Kuala Lumpur route, saw their first flights.
Meanwhile, additional international routes were launched from traditional tourist cities in China such as Huangshan, Zhangjiajie and Sanya, attracting throngs of foreign tourists during the summer vacation.
Apart from inbound tourist visits, the number of domestic tourist travels has also shown steady growth so far this summer, driven by family travel, educational tours, summer retreats and graduation trips.
China's summer travel boom boosts civil aviation industry's rapid recovery
As the Qingming Festival approaches this Friday, various traditional folk activities have been held across China, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the occasion.
With a 2,500-year history, Qingming Festival, or the Festival of Pure Brightness, observed in early April, uniquely combines ancestral worship with the celebration of spring. Falling on the 15th day after the spring equinox, this ritual-rich observance reflects China's enduring values of ancestral veneration and inspires deep introspection about what gives life meaning.
In Sijia Village, Huayin City, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, a unique swing festival is held to mark the occasion. Eighteen different types of traditional swings, such as the spinning wheel swing, the Bagua swing reminiscent of a rotating carousel, and the balance swing designed for two people, have attracted many visitors.
Historically, Sijia Village served as a military post guarding the strategic Tongguan pass, a former mountain pass and fortress located south of the confluence of the Wei and Yellow Rivers. The swing tradition in the village has its origins in military training exercises like climbing and river crossing. The local swing culture further developed as regional trade flourished, eventually evolving into the "swing festival" that continues today.
"It's very exciting and tests your skill, endurance, and most importantly, your arm strength. You need to maintain balance," said Qu Xiangyang, a visitor.
In Rudong County, Nantong City, east China's Jiangsu Province, another traditional Qingming activity takes place - kite flying.
Flying kites as a way of making wishes is an age-old Qingming custom in this region. As a result, the Qingming Festival in Nantong is also known as the "Kite Festival."
The local Banyao whistling kite making skills is listed as one of the first national intangible cultural heritage items.
According to a folk culture expert, people traditionally write the names of diseases or misfortunes on paper, attach it to a kite, and release it into the sky. This practice is believed to drive away illness and disaster, while also serving as a way to make wishes.
In south China's Guangdong Province, a large tug-of-war competition is underway in Maoming City. Teams from different towns and streets are competing, attracting many locals to cheer on their teams.
Tug-of-war, which originated during the late Spring and Autumn period (770 BC - 476 BC), became part of Qingming customs during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty once organized large-scale tug-of-war competitions for the festival.
"Tug-of-war became very popular in the Tang Dynasty, even emerging as the national sport. It originated in the Jingchu region and later spread across the country. In ancient Lingnan (Southern China), tug-of-war games were a common tradition. Through these events, people seek to pray for peace, prosperity, and abundant harvests," said Yao Guojun, vice dean of the College of Arts and Law, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology.
Traditional folk activities held for Qingming Festival
