The summer of 2023 perpetuates the travel market's growth fervor observed in the first half of the year, with a full-scale resurgence heralding the arrival of the "most spectacular summer vacation in history".

According to the China Tourism Academy (Data Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism), this summer is predicted to be the busiest travel period in the past five years, with an estimated 1.854 billion domestic tourists in June, July, and August, accounting for 28.11% of the annual total. The domestic tourism revenue is expected to reach 1.2 trillion yuan, representing about 27.46% of the annual total.

Taking a look back at this "most spectacular summer vacation", the integration of culture and tourism across various regions has seen a significant surge. More and more tourists now prefer leisure vacations and in-depth experiences, with a greater emphasis on spiritual and cultural indulgence.

Sales of tour products for summer nights on the Chinese ticket-booking platform Ctrip have shown a significant increase of 692% compared to 2019. Innovative nighttime activities such as hilltop views, light shows, cruises, street tours, performances, food and drinks bars, and museum night tours have become popular summer attractions.

Data from the group buying site Meituan show that since the start of the summer, searches for "night tours" and "night markets" have increased by about 80% compared to the same period last year, and related guide notes on another site Dianping have increased by 160%.

Shenzhen and Guangzhou have emerged as the top five cities for night-time consumption, with theme parks offering customized night events incorporating games, performances, and interactions, becoming popular destinations for young people in Guangdong. Touring local shops by bike or on foot has also blossomed as a new night tour trend.

In addition, bars like Livehouse, craft beer bars, and small pubs, which offer immersive experiences and trendy activities, have ignited a new "night-time" trend in the cities.

Beyond popular tourism themes such as summer retreats, theme parks, leisure vacations, and cultural tours, this year's study tour products have also experienced an unprecedented booking craze.

On another travel platform, Fliggy, "study tour" searches have increased more than 2.3 times compared to last summer, with cultural institutions like the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the China Science and Technology Museum, and the Beijing Planetarium emerging as the most popular summer destinations for study tours.

The number of enrollees for Ctrip's summer study tours has doubled compared to last year, with a substantial increase in orders for history and humanities, scientific exploration, and nature categories compared to 2019.

On the Fliggy platform, travel products tied to popular film, TV, and anime IPs have become this summer's hotspots. For instance, the official study tour route of the movie "Chang'an" has sold nearly 13 million yuan.

During this summer, it's common for tourists to face the challenge of sold-out tickets and fully-booked accommodations in popular cities and scenic spots. Additionally, high prices and crowded conditions can make the experience less enjoyable. As a result, many tourists prefer to stay away from popular areas and crowds by choosing to spend their holidays in non-hotspot destinations such as towns and villages. This allows them to experience the local charm and unique tourism delights that these lesser-known places have to offer.

Destinations in third and fourth-tier cities, boasting cool climates, natural scenery, cultural charm, and culinary culture, have become the preferred choice for some tourists.

On the Ctrip platform, the booking of scenic spot tickets in niche destinations has flourished. Summer scenic spot ticket sales in areas like Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Ulanqab, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Pingtan, Jinan, Kaifeng, Pingxiang, Luoyang, Ordos, and Beihai have grown more than two-fold compared to last year.

In short, summer 2023 has witnessed a surge in cultural tourism driven by immersive night tours and niche study trips. Additionally, travelers in China seem to seek leisure and cultural experiences in non-hotspot destinations and scenic areas offer unique alternatives away from the crowds.

探问暑期文旅热，沉浸式夜游、小众研学成潮流

2023年的暑假延续了上半年旅游市场的增长热度，全面复苏的盛况印证了“史上最火爆暑期”的诞生。

根据中国旅游研究院（文化和旅游部数据中心）预测，今年暑期将是过去五年来最热的暑期，预计6、7、8月三个月国内旅游人数达18.54亿人次，占全年国内旅游出游人数的28.11%；实现国内旅游收入1.2万亿元，约占全年国内旅游收入的27.46%。

回顾“最火暑期”，各地文旅融合活力迸发，旅游消费进一步向休闲度假及深度体验转变，人们更加注重在这个夏天里的精神文化享受。

在携程平台，暑期夜游产品销量较2019年增长692%，登高观夜景、夜间光影秀、游船游轮、街景夜游、演艺演出、美食酒吧、博物馆夜游等成为夏日火爆的夜间创新玩法。

美团平台数据显示，暑期以来，“夜游”“夜市”搜索量较去年同期增长约80%，大众点评上相关攻略笔记同期增长160%。

据悉，深圳、广州双双跻身夜间消费最高的五大城市，主题乐园结合游娱、唱演、互动等推出的订制夜间专场，成为广东年轻人夜游的热门去处，用夜骑、步行等绿色低碳方式漫游街边小店也成为夜游的新潮流。

此外，Livehouse、精酿吧、小酒馆等主打沉浸体验、潮流玩法的多元化酒吧业态点燃了城市新“夜”态。

除避暑游、主题乐园、休闲度假、文博游等大众热门的旅游主题外，今年暑期的研学游产品迎来前所未有的预订热潮。

在飞猪平台，“研学游”搜索量同比去年暑期增长超2.3倍，故宫博物院、中国国家博物馆、军事博物馆、中国科学技术馆、北京天文馆等文博机构成为人们最感兴趣的暑期研学游目的地。

携程暑期研学游报名人次较去年翻2倍，其中历史人文、科学探索及自然类订单数较2019年都有大幅度增长。

在飞猪平台，热门影视综漫IP同款旅行产品成为今夏的新热点。如，《长安三万里》电影官方同款研学线路销售额近1300万元。

这个暑期，面临网红城市、热门景区买不到票、订不到房以及房价高涨、到处“人从众”的窘况，不少游客选择远离热门景区和人群，到非热门目的地甚至是乡镇、村寨等度过假期，体验小地方的风土人情和旅游乐趣。

叠加了凉爽气候、自然风光、人文风情以及饮食文化的三四线城市宝藏目的地成为一些游客的首选。

携程平台上，小众目的地的景区门票预订繁荣。阿坝藏族羌族自治州、乌兰察布、甘孜藏族自治州、平潭、济南、开封、萍乡、洛阳、鄂尔多斯、北海等地的暑期景区门票热度同比增长超2倍。

文 | 羊城晚报全媒体记者 刘星彤 实习生 蔡思行
译 | 陈萱