As May approaches, the spring break for primary and secondary schools in Ningbo seamlessly connects with the May Day holiday, creating an "extended version" of an 8-day vacation.

Interviews with reporters over the past few days reveal that the continued release of policy effects has ignited the travel enthusiasm of many families, with the tourism market showing distinct characteristics of early activation and consumption upgrading.

Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that the first wave of May Day travel will start early, from April 28 to April 30. Air ticket search during this period increased by 26% year-on-year, with family groups accounting for nearly half of the searches.

"Jiangxi, Fujian, and other places are popular May Day destinations," said Song Yueping, Deputy General Manager of Ningbo International Travel Service. He noted that, for example, the 4-day trip to Jingdezhen is very popular among families. "We combine textbook content with travel, allowing experiences in ceramic making techniques such as shaping, glazing and painting plates, and clay carving."

The travel agency has also created several in-depth cultural tours, such as trips to Luoyang in Henan and Datong in Shanxi. "The driving effect of the spring break is very significant. For this holiday period, the number of bookings with our agency has increased by over 30% compared to last year," Song said.

Some travelers are turning their attention to domestic long-haul destinations offering high value for money and outstanding natural or cultural resources, such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Guangxi. It's worth mentioning that long-haul travel has driven a significant increase in demand for consecutive-night hotel stays. The proportion of orders for 5 or more consecutive nights around the May Day holiday has increased by 10% year-on-year.

Affected by international flight capacity and increased fuel surcharges, destinations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe are performing relatively well in this year's May Day outbound travel market.

According to forecasts from the Ningbo Airport Border Inspection Station, the total number of people entering and leaving through Ningbo Airport during the spring break and May Day holiday will exceed 23,000. Based on current operations of international and routes to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, travelers departing from Ningbo are mainly heading to Southeast Asia, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.