Multi-Destination Travel: A Growing Trend in China Outbound Travel Market

China outbound travel is evolving as Chinese outbound tourists increasingly plan multi-destination itineraries, combining several cities or countries within a single trip. Instead of focusing on one destination, travelers are maximizing the value of international journeys by exploring multiple locations along the same route.

Booking insights from Trip.com Group illustrate this shift. During the 2025 May Labour Day holiday period, bookings for trips covering two or more cities increased by 60% YoY¹, indicating rising demand for multi-city travel planning among Chinese tourists.

This trend aligns with broader shifts in China outbound travel behavior, where longer international trips and improved transportation connectivity are encouraging travelers to extend their itineraries across regional clusters.

 

Four Travel Behaviors Driving Multi-Destination Travel Among Chinese Tourists

Trend 1: Multi-City Travel and Regional Travel Clusters in Asia

Chinese outbound tourists are increasingly visiting multiple cities within the same country during a single trip or following established regional travel corridors in Asia, where cities are geographically close and easily connected by flights or high-speed rail networks. This allows for diverse cultural experiences within a single journey.

Common Multi-destination Routes in Asia:

Travel Region	Typical Multi-Destination Route1, 2	Key Appeal
Northeast Asia	Japan (Tokyo – Osaka– Kyoto)	Efficient rail networks
Northeast Asia	Seoul – Tokyo	Frequent flight
Southeast Asia	Singapore – Kuala Lumpur – Bangkok	Visa convenience, short flights
Greater China	Shenzhen – Hong Kong – Macau	High accessibility and frequent transits

These routes allow travelers to experience different cultural, historical, and urban environments while maximizing the value of long-distance travel.

 

Trend 2: Longer Holidays Encourage Multi-Destination Itineraries

Longer holiday periods are also boosting demand for multi-city package tours.

Flights exceeding six hours are the fastest-growing flight segment, with Chinese travelers seeing strong double-digit growth in long-distance trips during 2025 May Labour Day holiday¹.

According to Trip.com Group’s 2026 Lunar New Year travel forecast, many popular outbound package tours now frequently bundle several destinations..

Popular Multi-Destination Itineraries::

Destination	Example Multi-Destination Itinerary
Turkey	Istanbul → Cappadocia → Konya → Ephesus
United States	Los Angeles → Las Vegas → Grand Canyon
Japan	Osaka → Kyoto with Amanohashidate, Ine, Arashiyama, and Nara

 

Trend 3: Transit Travel Creates Additional Destinations

Some Chinese outbound travelers are also adding extra destinations through transit travel strategies. According to the Tongcheng Travel 2025 Spring Festival Travel Report highlights how travelers choose cross-border transit routes to visit an extra city while significantly reducing airfare costs.

Illustration of Transit Travel³:

• • Direct Route: Sanya to Guangzhou (Peak period) = RMB 6,000

• • Transit Route: Sanya => Hong Kong (Stopover) => Guangzhou = RMB 2,600 total

Cities such as Hong Kong, Seoul, and Singapore have become popular transit hubs. When transit options offer more than 40% savings compared to direct flights, the volume of travelers choosing these routes increases significantly³.

 

Trend 4: Cruise Travel Enables Multi-Destination Experiences

Beyond aviation, cruise tourism is also a major contributor to this trend.

According to the Trip.com Group Momentum 2025 report, cruise travel is gaining popularity because they offer a seamless way to visit multiple ports with the convenience of all-inclusive dining and accommodation.⁴.

Cruises provide travelers with:

• • Scenic sea journeys between international ports

• • Simplified logistics for visiting 3-5 destinations in one trip

• • Integrated travel experiences combining accommodation, dining, and entertainment that appeal to family groups

 

Multi-Destination Travel Creates New Opportunities 

The rise of multi-destination travel has important implications for tourism boards and travel brands seeking to attract Chinese outbound tourists.

Key strategic opportunities include:

• • Position destinations as part of regional travel routes rather than standalone locations

• • Collaborate with nearby cities or countries to create unified marketing campaigns

• • Produce travel content highlighting route inspiration (e.g., The Ultimate 48-hour Tokyo–Osaka travel guide) to influence the planning phase

• • Partner with OTAs and digital platforms during the complex multi-city booking journey

 

Turning China Outbound Travel Insights into Growth

As Chinese outbound tourists increasingly adopt multi-destination travel, brands must adapt to a more sophisticated digital ecosystem.

At iClick, we help your brand to turn insights into measurable growth through data-driven marketing strategies, social listening, and performance campaigns targeting Chinese travelers worldwide.

Connect with iClick to unlock your next China outbound travel opportunity.

 

Source:
1: Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday
2: Trip.com Group's 2026 Lunar New Year Forecast: Longer Journeys and Premium Travel Gain Momentum in the Year of the Horse
3: 同程旅行发布春节旅行报告：返乡客流带火县城酒店，部分县城中高端酒店热度涨四成
4: Trip.com Group Momentum 2025 report Travel's Next Big Trends

 

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