The introduction of autumn breaks for students in several Chinese provinces is set to invigorate the tourism industry while enhancing the paid vacation system for parents. Provinces such as Zhejiang and Guangdong have announced three-day autumn vacations for primary and junior high school students, running from November 12 to 14, with the option to extend to five days by including the weekend. Cities like Ningbo, Huzhou, Jiaxing, and Foshan are leading this initiative, with other regions like Jinhua also scheduling breaks in November. This move has already spurred a significant surge in flight and hotel bookings. According to Qunar, flight bookings from Ningbo between November 12 and 16 have increased by 2.18 times compared to last year, with Beijing, Xi’an, and Changsha emerging as top destinations. Foshan has seen an even greater rise, with flight bookings up 2.76 times. Online travel agency Tuniu reported a spike in tour reservations for Ningbo, Taizhou, and Foshan during the same period. Families are predominantly opting for two- to three-day domestic trips, though some are planning longer independent vacations to destinations like Sanya or international locations such as Japan. Wei Changren, founder of btiii.com, highlighted the benefits of this initiative, noting that it helps balance travel peaks during summer and public holidays, improving the overall experience for families. The flexibility allows parents to align their paid vacations with the autumn break, potentially refining the paid vacation system. With northern China transitioning to winter, milder destinations in the east and south are gaining popularity, along with nearby international locations like South Korea and Japan. This development follows a September notice from nine central departments, including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Education, encouraging local governments to optimize student vacation schedules by introducing spring and autumn breaks, potentially shortening summer and winter holidays.
