Time is the essence, as 'slow travel' becomes the norm

Not long ago, traveling in China meant racing against the clock. Overnight trains, sunrise hikes, and five scenic spots before lunch were worn like badges of honor. The faster and more exhausting the itinerary, the better the story sounded afterward. Today, that logic is being quietly overturned — by young people who have decided that vacations should feel less like boot camp.

"I used to come home from trips more tired than before I left," said Li Yiran, a 28-year-old office worker from Shanghai. "Now, if I only see one street, sit for an hour with a cup of tea, and actually remember how the air smelled, that feels like a real journey. I'm not collecting places anymore — I'm collecting moments."

Across China, "slow travel" is emerging as a defining trend, particularly among Gen Z and older millennials. Instead of packing schedules to the brim, travelers are choosing fewer destinations, longer stays and experiences that emphasize immersion over mileage.

According to a 2025 survey released by the China Youth Daily, 55.3 percent of young respondents said they now prefer "immersive slow travel", while more than half favor independent trips over tightly organized tours.

The shift is visible in both behavior and business. Once-popular "special-forces-style tourism" — where travelers sprint through cities to maximize check-ins — has given way to what social media jokingly calls "low-consumption travel". The idea is simple: minimal physical strain, maximum emotional return.

Meituan data shows that searches for "gentle adventures" surged in 2025, with interest in low-impact rafting up 135 percent, slower, controlled bungee experiences up 65 percent, and "elevator-assisted mountain climbing" up more than 80 percent.

These are not just internet jokes. At scenic sites across Guangdong, Zhejiang and Hubei provinces, operators have redesigned attractions to match the new pace. On Foshan's Xiqiao Mountain, visitors can try a modified bungee jump that lowers participants gently instead of dropping them at full speed. In river valleys, "lying-flat rafting" lets travelers float downstream under blue skies, doing little more than drifting and daydreaming.

Hotels and destinations are adapting, too. Comfort now outranks proximity. Properties advertise spacious rooms, late checkout times and surroundings conducive to walking rather than rushing. Cities are rerouting visitors toward museums, historical neighborhoods and cultural venues — places that reward time spent rather than time counted.

The cultural dimension of slow travel may be its most striking feature. Young travelers are not simply resting; they are looking inward and outward at the same time. The same China Youth Daily report found that historical sites were the top travel draw for young people (57.2 percent).

Young travelers' choices are followed by interest in natural landscapes and intangible cultural heritage experiences.

Many would rather spend an afternoon learning a traditional craft or wandering an old alleyway than ticking off another landmark.

For some, slow travel is a conscious rejection of pressure. Others describe it as self-care. What emerges is not laziness, but a recalibration. In slowing down, young Chinese travelers are redefining what it means to go somewhere.

Travel, increasingly, is no longer about how far you go — but how deeply you arrive.

"When you rush, every city ends up looking like the same photo. When you stay, you begin to notice the small things — the way shop owners talk, the rhythm of the streets," said Pan Yuchen, a university student visiting Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in southwestern China, a city often seen as a symbol of slow travel for its famously unhurried pace, where locals linger over hotpot at all hours, and spend their afternoons in teahouses.

"Comfort over hustle — that's when travel stops being movement and starts becoming connection."