2024 Spring Festival Travel Rush: Didi Data Reveals Trends in Hometown Returns and Tourism

2024 Spring Festival Travel Rush: Didi Data Reveals Trends in Hometown Returns and TourismThe 2024 Spring Festival travel rush (Chunyun) is underway, with millions embarking on journeys home, revitalizing travel markets nationwide. Data from Didi Chuxing reveals several new trends in travel demand during this period, reflecting shifts in Chinese travel patterns and the resurgence of the tourism sector

2024 Spring Festival Travel Rush: Didi Data Reveals Trends in Hometown Returns and Tourism

The 2024 Spring Festival travel rush (Chunyun) is underway, with millions embarking on journeys home, revitalizing travel markets nationwide. Data from Didi Chuxing reveals several new trends in travel demand during this period, reflecting shifts in Chinese travel patterns and the resurgence of the tourism sector.

First Week of Chunyun: Homecoming Rush Meets Winter Sports Boom

Since the official start of Chunyun on January 14th, ride-hailing orders to major transportation hubs like airports and train stations have increased by 16% year-on-year. This demonstrates the continued dominance of traditional homecoming travel, with strong demand for convenient transportation.

Significantly, the ongoing popularity of winter sports tourism and island getaways has driven a substantial increase in intercity ride-hailing demand. In the first week of Chunyun, intercity ride-hailing orders to Harbin and Sanya increased by 17% and 20% year-on-year, respectively, with Harbin entering the top ten cities for intercity ride-hailing orders nationwide. This reflects the diversification of travel destinations during the Spring Festival, moving beyond traditional homecoming routes. The rising popularity of skiing further fueled this growth, with ride-hailing demand to ski resorts up 24% year-on-year. Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Altay, Harbin, and Jilin emerged as the top five cities for ski-related ride-hailing demand.

Before the Spring Festival: Shopping Spree and Surge in Long-Distance Travel

As the Spring Festival approaches, ride-hailing demand for lifestyle services is climbing. A 35% and 26% year-on-year increase in ride-hailing demand to shopping malls and beauty salons, respectively, is anticipated in the week leading up to the festival, indicating strong pre-festival shopping and personal grooming needs. Didi Chuxing predicts a surge in long-distance travel demand before the festival, with cross-city orders expected to increase by 27% year-on-year, and orders exceeding 10 kilometers increasing by 15%. This points to a strong desire for visiting relatives and friends or traveling before the holiday.

Didi predicts peak ride-hailing demand on the 27th (January 26th) from 5 PM to 6 PM, and on the 28th (January 27th) from 11 AM to 12 PM, 2 PM to 3 PM, and 5 PM to 6 PM. Advance planning is recommended.

During the Spring Festival: Increased Nighttime Travel and High Leisure Demand

During the Spring Festival, various cultural events and gatherings will further drive ride-hailing demand. Didi Chuxing predicts a 25% year-on-year increase in overall ride-hailing demand during the festival, with a noticeably higher proportion of nighttime trips. Peak demand for leisure activities is expected on the fifth and sixth days of the festival (February 2nd and 3rd), while the overall peak for the festival is projected for the seventh and eighth days (February 4th and 5th).

Hitchhiking (Didi Shunfengche): Peak Bookings and Temple Fair Craze

Didi Shunfengche (Hitchhiking) data shows January 25th will be the first peak day for ride-hailing bookings before the festival, with Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen showing the highest usage of ride-hailing booking services. The introduction of "value-added routes" has enhanced the user experience, with booking volume increasing by 31% compared to the pre-Chunyun period. Furthermore, bookings for temple fairs and markets in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region using Didi Shunfengche increased by 41%, reflecting the popularity of regional cultural events. The earliest pre-festival booking was for a trip from Chengdu to Dali on the first day of Chunyun.

Significant Growth in Ride-Hailing Orders from Incoming Tourists, Bilateral Increase in Cross-Border Travel

Thanks to continuous easing and optimization of visa policies, foreign tourists enthusiasm for visiting China has surged. Didi data shows that in the first week of Chunyun, ride-hailing orders from inbound tourists increased by over 55% year-on-year, with the highest number of users coming from South Korea, the United States, and Singapore. Travel to Hong Kong remains popular, with Didi predicting over a 50% increase in ride-hailing demand in Hong Kong during the Spring Festival holiday, peaking on the second day of the festival (January 30th). To support this, Didi is offering users in Hong Kong a coupon package worth a total of HK$200.

To meet the ride-hailing needs of Chinese tourists traveling abroad, the Didi Chuxing app was upgraded to version 7.0 on January 20th, introducing a trial "overseas travel" feature with a Chinese interface, online payment, and Chinese customer service. South Korea, Japan, and Singapore are expected to be popular destinations for Chinese users. The bilateral increase in cross-border travel signals a gradual recovery in the international tourism market.

Didi Driver Support and Benefits for Spring Festival: Over 400 Million in Subsidies and Multiple Benefits

To honor drivers working diligently during the holiday, Didi will distribute over 400 million in subsidies and offer nine benefits, including commission-free cards, revenue acceleration cards, and a lucky draw. Didi Taxi is also launching a range of incentives, including commission-free cards, fare advance payment cards, and worry-free pick-up cards. To increase driver income during peak hours, Didi is trialing a holiday service fee during periods of high demand. Furthermore, Didi has held several "Didi Driver Spring Festival Dinners" to extend festive greetings and warmth to drivers and their families, distributing New Year gifts.

In conclusion, 2024 Chunyun travel data demonstrates the diversification of Chinese travel patterns and the vibrant development of the tourism market. The intertwined nature of homecoming visits and leisure travel, coupled with a surge in domestic and international tourism, presents both opportunities and challenges for ride-hailing platforms. Didi Chuxing actively addresses the peak travel demand during Chunyun by providing diverse travel services and support measures, aiming to deliver a superior travel experience for both passengers and drivers.

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