CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- With the start of the summer vacation for primary and secondary schools, the travel industry has experienced its peak season. Statistics show that this summer, travelers can relish more economical trips with lower prices for flights and hotels.

As of July 16, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Chongqing have emerged as the top five sought-after summer vacation destinations on the Qunar platform, and the well-liked night tour attractions include the Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise, Guangzhou Pearl River Night Cruise, Jiaxing Xizha Night Cruise, Xiamen Lujiang Night Cruise, and Hangzhou Qiantang River Night Cruise.

In mid-July, cost-effectiveness has become the decisive factor for those who haven't yet planned their vacations. Qunar data reveals that currently, the prices of flights and hotels on the platform during the summer vacation are 10% lower than last year.

The ticket prices for popular cities on the platform have dropped by 11% compared to last year. Many flight fares are even cheaper than high-speed rail tickets. For instance, flights from Beijing to Luoyang cost 330 yuan per person, Beijing to Yinchuan 450 yuan per person, and Shanghai to Zhuhai 320 yuan per person.

The hotel prices in popular cities on the platform have also decreased by 10% compared to last year. Among the top 20 popular cities, Xiamen leads with a 17% reduction, followed by Hangzhou at 16% and Beijing at 15%. This summer, booking a four or five-star hotel in Beijing is, on average, 91 yuan cheaper than in 2023.

The Qunar Big Data Research Institute analyzed that with the normalization of supply and demand in the tourism industry, a dynamic equilibrium has been achieved between hotel supply and tourist flow, enabling the market to offer high-quality services at slightly lower prices. For example, in the first half of 2024, Beijing, the most popular city on the platform in the first half, had an average nightly price of 530 yuan in popular business districts, representing a 14% decrease from the same period last year.

Despite the heatwave, this summer hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of parents and children for traveling. Theme parks have become the favorite destinations for family outings. As of July 12, the top ten most popular attractions on the platform during the summer vacation include Beijing Universal Resort, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, Shanghai Disneyland, Badaling Great Wall, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Summer Palace, Palace Museum, Jiuzhaigou, Hong Kong Disneyland, and National Museum of China.

In addition to theme parks and heritage sites, attractions with water entertainment facilities have also gained popularity. Searches for water activities on the platform have soared by 400% compared to last year. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)