A new generation of Chinese travelers is redefining the country's tourism landscape this summer, with a growing emphasis on personalized itineraries, cultural immersion, and meaningful experiences over conventional mass tourism.
According to data released by Beijing-based travel service company Utour World, the number of summer travelers has surged by nearly 80 percent year on year. Family trips account for over 60 percent of all summer travels, with many parents opting for nature getaways and culturally enriching activities.
While classic European destinations such as the United Kingdom and Spain remain popular, there is increasing interest in long-haul options like European cruises, particularly among families traveling with children, according to the survey.
Young Chinese travelers are increasingly choosing slower, deeper ways to spend their summer. The latest data shows a clear shift: personalized, immersive trips are in, and mass tourism is out.
Li Mengran, media PR manager at Utour World, noted that "more and more cultural experience projects featuring intangible heritage have attracted attention from parents. Therefore, when designing travel packages, we travel agencies would also include more of this kind of folk culture experience. For example, tourists can try pounding traditional ciba cake in Yunnan and Sichuan."
Individual travelers shared their personal choices.
"I traveled to Japan during the May Day holiday, which was quite fun," said Ms Tian.
Another tourist, Ms Wang, traveled to Datong in Shanxi Province this summer inspired by the video game Black Myth: Wukong. "It was a chance to enjoy both natural scenery and historic architecture," she explained.
Inbound tourism is also experiencing robust growth. Li noted that the number of international visitors in the first half of this year more than doubled compared to the same period in 2024.
"When inbound tourism began recovering in 2023, visitors mainly came from Southeast Asia and Belt and Road countries in central Asia such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. But this year, as we continue to open our doors wider, we're seeing more arrivals from Australia, Europe and America and more and more cities are welcoming foreign tourists," she said.
The rising travel numbers reflect a broader transformation in China's tourism market, one increasingly defined by a demand for relaxation, immersion, and individuality, signaling an upgrade in the cultural lifestyles of modern Chinese consumers.
Young Chinese tourists drive shift toward personalized, culture-rich travel
The international community on Thursday continued to lash out at Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir for releasing a video which mocks the participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
On Thursday local time, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that all foreign activists who had recently participated in the flotilla had been expelled from the country, and that Israel would not tolerate any violations of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Hundreds of members from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were brought to Israel's Ashdod Port on Wednesday, as Ben-Gvir released the video showing some of them shackled and forced to the ground.
In the video, released by Ben-Gvir on his social media channels, dozens of activists are shown kneeling on the floor, bent forward with their heads down and hands bound behind their backs with zip ties, as the Israeli national anthem is played loudly over speakers.
Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval vessels intercepted all ships in the convoy in international waters, about 250 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. According to the organizers, 428 activists were "kidnapped" by Israel after the interception began on Monday morning.
On Thursday, the British government issued a statement saying that the Britain had summoned the charge d'affaires of the Israeli Embassy that day to express strong denunciation of the video released by Ben-Gvir on Wednesday.
Britain accused the relevant actions of violating the most basic principles of respect for human dignity and demanded that the Israeli government provide an explanation regarding the detention.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani on Thursday said on social media that he had requested the European Union (EU) to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir.
Tajani said that the Israeli side detained activists in international waters and subjected them to harassment and humiliation, describing such actions as "unacceptable" and "a violation of the most basic human rights."
On the same day, the Polish foreign affairs ministry issued a statement saying that Poland had summoned the charge d'affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Poland, demanding that Israel launch an investigation into the detention and issue an official apology to the detained activists.
Earlier that day, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski decided to seek a ban on Ben-Gvir's entry into Poland.
On Thursday, Polish Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwinski also said that he had ordered the initiation of formal procedures to designate Ben-Gvir as a persona non grata.
Additionally, on Thursday, Danilo Della Valle, a member of the European Parliament, said that he had written to European Council President Antonio Costa, calling on the EU to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir. The letter was co-signed by nearly 30 members of the European Parliament.
Int'l community continues to slam Israel for maltreating Gaza aid flotilla members
