Summer tourism goes local after COVID-19 flare-ups

A two-day and one-night trip over the weekend is the most preferred type of short-distance travel this summer, according to the report. Theme parks, zoos and aquariums are among the most popular destinations.

Zhejiang province in East China, for example, has seen increasing intraprovincial travel and decreasing long-haul travel recently, Hangzhou Daily reported. A local resident surnamed Xu canceled her trip to Sichuan province and instead chose a less-visited scenic spot in Zhejiang province.

"I think we all need to be more careful," Xu said, adding she won't be considering a destination outside Zhejiang, according to the Hangzhou Daily report.

Wang Tianxing, an associate professor with Beijing International Studies University and a member of an expert panel for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, suggested that tourists choose destinations within their home provinces or a short distance from where they are, Workers' Daily reported.

Wang also suggested that tourism companies further refine local tourism offerings by incorporating local culture and tourism resources.

Industry insiders expressed cautious optimism about where the tourism industry is going given the current COVID-19 situation.

"The tourism market will get back on track once the outbreaks come under control," Cheng Chaogong, chief researcher at a tourism research institute affiliated with Travelgo, was quoted as saying by Economic Daily. "With COVID-19 precautions becoming a part of life, consumers are now psychologically prepared for sporadic outbreaks … Consumer confidence and demand are still there."

Huang Yuzhou, vice-president of Chinese online travel agency Fliggy, told Economic Daily that the National Day holiday and the Double Eleven shopping festival in the second half of the year are critical to the tourism industry.

The tourism market is expected to continue its recovery driven by a robust demand for travel, abundant tourism offerings and digitalization after the COVID-19 situation becomes stable, said Huang.