As the Spring Festival travel rush intensifies, the surge in self-driving trips for family reunions and holiday excursions is driving a spike in car rentals and vehicle maintenance services across China, reflecting a shift in consumer behavior during the holiday season.
In Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province, rental agencies report a notable increase in local families opting for larger vehicles to accommodate group travel.
"These vehicles offer better configurations, more space, and greater comfort. Current reservation rates have reached 60 percent," said Hu Pengcheng, manager of a car rental company.
Beyond Xiamen, self-driving tourism is also booming in southwest China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, as well as other regions.
According to data from major rental platforms, nationwide car rental orders around the Spring Festival period have increased by nearly 20 percent year on year. The average rental duration has extended to around five days, up 30 percent from last year. The share of cross-city return bookings has risen significantly, signaling that "intercity self-driving travel" is becoming a new normal during the holidays.
The surge in pre-holiday demand has extended beyond the car rental market, as vehicle owners prepare their cars for long-distance travel, driving a peak in automotive cleaning and maintenance services.
The Spring Festival travel rush, also known as chunyun, is the world's largest annual human migration, as a total of 9.5 billion people are expected to embark on journeys across the nation to reunite with loved ones and celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year on Feb. 17 this year.
Self-driving travel fuels China's pre-holiday boom in car rental, maintenance services
Malaysia's durian-themed restaurants are booming as record numbers of durian lovers are flocking to the country, eager to sample what many consider the world's best varieties of the pungent fruit.
Often described as a fruit people either love or hate, durian has long been a favorite among many Chinese visitors as well.
New outlets have sprung up across Kuala Lumpur and Penang, branding themselves as restaurants but serving little beyond durian in different forms, from fresh fruit to ice cream, cream puffs, milkshakes and even deep-fried versions.
"We opened this place nearly a year ago, and our customers come from all over the world," said Ophelia Ng, branch director of Laifa in Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia.
Visitors said the draw was the wide range of durian varieties on offer.
"My friend is from Singapore, and this friend is from Indonesia. So we are here to try out different varieties of durian. I think there is different flavors, [some are] a little bit bitter, some are sweeter or creamier, yes, so that's why we are trying it out first before we order the big one," said Wen Ni, a Malaysian durian lover.
Some tourists, however, found the taste less appealing.
"I'm not sure if I like it. I don't really like it. It's not really good," said a tourist from Austria.
For Chinese tourists, sampling Malaysia’s finest durian remains an essential experience.
"When you come to Malaysia, you can't afford to miss the best durian. The finest varieties are Musang King and Black Thorn. It's best to enjoy them in a restaurant, where you can eat comfortably in a cool, air-conditioned setting. The durian is delicious, and relaxing here while savoring the fruit is the best experience," said Zhao Bin, a tourist from Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province.
With durians banned from hotels and public transport, restaurants offering air-conditioned comfort have become the preferred way for tourists to enjoy Malaysia's most divisive fruit.
Malaysia's durian restaurants thrive amid booming demand
