On August 28, Fliggy released its 2026 Summer Travel Report, revealing that travel orders during the summer season hit a record high.

According to the report, domestic hotel room nights surged 66% year-over-year, while domestic ticket sales climbed nearly 30% compared to the same period last year.

Where travelers flocked

Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Guangzhou emerged as the most popular domestic destinations, while South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam led the rankings for outbound travel hotspots.

Inbound tourism continued its strong momentum, with a growing number of international visitors spending their summer vacations in China. Fliggy data shows that inbound flight bookings skyrocketed by 197% year-over-year. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, and Shenzhen were the top cities favored by inbound travelers, while Wuhan, Zhangjiagang, and Dali gained popularity as newly trending destinations.

Cool escapes dominate summer trends

Beating the heat remained the dominant theme of summer travel. Fliggy reported that cooler destinations outperformed the broader market this year. Kunming, Urumqi, Guiyang, Qingdao, Harbin, Dalian, Lanzhou, Dali, Xining, and Hohhot ranked among the top ten summer retreats. Meanwhile, destinations such as Aba, Yili, Altay, Ganzi, and Diqing emerged as hidden gems, experiencing an average growth rate of nearly 70%.

AI-driven travel assistance takes off

In early August, Fliggy introduced its next-generation travel AI assistant, Fliggy Bangbang. This tool not only answers travel queries and plans itineraries but also assists users with tasks such as cancellations, rebookings, check-in seat selection, and room upgrades before, during, and after their trips. Fliggy data highlights a remarkable 297% quarter-over-quarter surge in user interactions with AI this summer.