Telecom big data forecasts a double-digit increase in travel volume during the Qingming Festival, driven by a surge in short-distance self-driving trips and popular flower-viewing outings over the long weekend.
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is traditionally a time for families to honor the deceased. It also marks a peak season for spring outings.
This year, the holiday runs from April 4 to 6, coinciding with favorable weather, blossoming flowers, and vibrant greenery that are expected to draw large numbers of travelers.
According to China Mobile's Wutong Big Data analysis, short-distance travel is expected to see explosive growth during the three-day break, with a 12 percent increase in holidaymakers compared to last year.
Cities from north to south -- including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou -- are leading the short-distance travel market, forming a "holiday economic zone" within a 200-kilometer radius. The "micro-vacation" model, centered around first-tier cities, has emerged as a new driver of consumption.
Using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered crowd flow prediction models, China Mobile's platform has identified the most popular flower-viewing routes to nearby cities -- including Shanghai to Wuxi, Jiaxing to Hangzhou, and Foshan to Guangzhou.
The data also highlights a growing demand for cultural and experiential tourism, adding a new dimension to traditional Qingming holiday travel trends.
"This year, flower-viewing tours during the Qingming Festival is expected to increase by 33 percent compared to last year, signaling vibrant growth in spring travel. Additionally, traditional Chinese-style photo tours and tea-picking excursions have emerged as new trends this year," said Zhang Fan, deputy general manager of the Big Data Business Group at the China Mobile Information Technology Center.
Telecom data forecasts double-digit surge in Qingming Festival travel
