Parent-child travel has become one of the fastest-growing segments of China's tourism industry, with families increasingly viewing travel as a way to strengthen emotional bonds and create shared learning experiences, according to a new report.
On Friday, online travel platform Ly.com released its Children's Day travel report, highlighting major shifts in family travel patterns ahead of June 1.
Since the start of 2026, bookings for parent-child travel on Ly.com have surged by 70 percent year-on-year, reflecting strong growth in both market demand and consumer enthusiasm.
The report attributes the sector's expansion to two key trends: educational trips that emphasize "learning through play" and nostalgia-driven journeys designed to foster family connections.
Between May 29 and June 1, bookings for short-haul family getaways increased by more than 65 percent compared with the previous month. Museums, theme parks and zoos recorded the strongest growth in ticket sales, rising 82 percent, 71 percent and 69 percent respectively, the report adds.
The report notes that frequent, short-distance and experience-focused trips are becoming the new norm for family travel.
Demand for one-day and half-day educational excursions — described as "classrooms close to home" — surged by more than 120 percent month-on-month during the holiday period. Popular activities include nature exploration, rural farming experiences, stream trekking, intangible cultural heritage workshops and museum-based learning programs.
The most popular family travel destinations this year are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Xi'an in Shaanxi province.
Another emerging trend is adult children traveling with their parents.
Bookings for such family trips arranged by grown-up children increased by 55 percent year-on-year in 2026. Many travelers are revisiting childhood destinations with their parents and taking then-and-now family photos to capture the passage of time and strengthen family ties.
During holidays such as the Spring Festival and National Day, young professionals working in large cities are increasingly inviting their parents to visit. More than 30 percent of family hotel bookings in first-tier cities during the 2026 Spring Festival were made by local young people arranging accommodation for visiting parents.
