Data released on August 28th from Fliggy's 2026 Summer Travel Report reveals a record-breaking surge in travel orders during the peak season. Domestic hotel room nights grew 66% compared to the previous year, while domestic attraction ticket sales also saw a healthy increase of nearly 30%.

The report highlights Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Guangzhou as the most popular cities for domestic travel. Looking specifically at the Beijing market, travel bookings to the capital on Fliggy's platform during the summer season have outpaced the same period last year, with a substantial 85% increase in hotel reservations.

As both a major source of travelers and a top destination city, Beijing has experienced continued strong demand for its hotels, attraction tickets, and local entertainment offerings. This summer's travel trends have been defined by two distinct paths: one focused on classic favorites and the other on novel experiences. While seeking cooler climes, cultural museum tours, nighttime excursions, and adventure sports remain perennial favorites, new activities like visiting local markets for cooking, enjoying coffee amid rice paddies, stargazing and watching fireflies, and even using AI for errands have gained popularity, signaling a rising appetite among young people for unique experiences.

Beating the summer heat continues to be the dominant travel theme. According to Fliggy, cooler destinations have led market growth this year. The top ten most popular summer retreats are Kunming, Urumqi, Guiyang, Qingdao, Harbin, Dalian, Lanzhou, Dali, Xining, and Hohhot. Meanwhile, destinations such as Aba, Ili, Altay, Garzê, and Diqing have emerged as "dark horse" getaways, experiencing an average growth rate of nearly 70%.