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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
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KEY TOPICS FROM PREVIOUS REPORTS
- Key topics from previous reports
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THE MARKET
- Consumer profile
- Families with children are a core driver of domestic travel and are also the most active group in outbound travel
- Graph 1: leisure travel participation rate, by family structure, 2025
- Family holiday budgets are higher among households with children, with child-friendly needs driving additional spending
- Graph 2: future leisure travel budget, by family structure, 2025
- Graph 3: future leisure travel budget for families with children aged 0-12, 2024-25
- Multi-child households drive up demand for multi-child-friendly products
- As Gen Z parents step into the spotlight, family holidays need to keep kids entertained and parents relaxed
- Travel preferences
- Family holidays in China are stretching further, while trips abroad are leaning towards closer destinations
- Graph 4: family leisure travel participation rate for families with children aged 0-12, 2024-25
- Graph 5: travel destinations in the next 12 months, by lifestage, 2025
- Family self-driving trips are gaining momentum, strengthening collaboration between hotels and car brands around travel scenarios
- Family-friendly hotels are both a place to stay and a travel destination
- Spring and autumn breaks open up new windows for families to travel during off-peak periods
- Traditional attractions are coming under greater pressure as family travellers increasingly favour newer, more differentiated destinations
- Graph 6: top 50 5A attractions by visitor volume and year-on-year growth rate during National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, 2023-25
- Market highlights
- Animated films are turning box office buzz into reasons for family holidays
- Variety shows are steering family holidays towards agricultural and ecological experiences
- The boom in AI toys turns age-appropriate commentary into a stress buster for family holidays
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THE CONSUMER AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Family holidays lack a universal, turnkey solution, so consumers tend to mix and match between flexibility, support and all-inclusive convenience
- Freedom to roam, underpinned by safety assurance
- Age-appropriate content, educational value of the experience and value for money are non-negotiable criteria when shortlisting products
- Graph 7: factors considered when choosing family holiday products, 2026
- Health and safety assurances and emergency plans are the absolute cornerstones
- For families with children, safety matters more than for other groups
- Graph 8: essential elements for an ideal luxury holiday (top three), by family structure, 2025
- Make safety work in practice by using professional support to unlock more room for exploration
- L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort: helping children of all confidence levels find their own starting line
- Xiashan Camp: weaving safety throughout the journey to give children the courage to play
- Guided freedom makes accompaniment feel effortless
- Demand for family holidays is strong, but parents are increasingly feeling the strain of travelling with children
- Graph 9: mentions around ‘raising children’ and ‘exhaustion’ on Xiaohongshu, 2024-25
- The main burden lies in choosing destinations and deciding how to balance the time
- Graph 10: barriers to destination selection for the National Day holiday, by family structure, 2025
- Easing the burden for parents starts by clearing the first hurdle: choosing a destination
- The need to reduce burden is rising, but parents are not seeking a disengaged form of relaxation
- Most parents are very keen to accompany their children, but they prefer to allow a degree of independence under professional support
- Graph 11: attitudes towards family holidays, by children’s age, 2025
- Graph 12: holiday activities parents are willing to let children take part in independently (repertoire), 2026
- Independent experiences for children are best started with lightweight activities: museums, hobby classes and water activities
- Graph 13: holiday activities parents are willing to let children take part in independently, 2026
- Professional guides turn visits into experiences, so parents do not need to explain everything or keep children entertained throughout
- Spending time together but at a different pace: design a model of accompanied independence
- Community-led family holiday extends hassle-free services to include playmates for kids and connections for families
- Multi-generational holidays, enjoyment for everyone
- Multi-generational holiday demand is widespread, but only 40% of parents feel that travelling with older relatives makes things easier
- Graph 14: attitudes toward family holidays, 2025
- Graph 15: whether travelling with older family members is considered more hassle-free, 2026
- In multi-generational family holidays, each additional generation brings another set of needs to be met
- The opportunity in hassle-free multi-generational holidays lies in allowing each generation to enjoy themselves, while making quality time together effortless
- The Kunming Express: multi-generational holidays should be less hassle while not losing the freedom to explore
- Long and short holidays each serve a different purpose
- Traditional peak seasons maintain a solid foundation, with summer, winter and National Day holidays capturing the main demand for family trips
- Graph 16: time for family holidays, 2026
- The core needs behind holidays: easy transport, child suitability, a comfortable climate and off-peak travel
- The more distinctive the holiday proposition, the stronger the reason for families to travel
- No matter the holiday, families love to weave the elements of nature into their travels
- New opportunities for long holidays: a cross-regional, cross-cultural themed journey
- Short holidays as a new growth engine: fast growth and frequent windows
- Graph 17: time for family holidays (proportion of consumers) and year-on-year growth, 2025-26
- Moving away from peak-season crowds, short breaks make family holidays easier and more seasonally grounded
- New opportunities in short holidays: shift family holidays from going out to have fun to expressing care and affection
- Extended spring breaks are allowing families to travel further for their Tomb-Sweeping travel, with seasonal experiences moving beyond nearby outings to mid- and longer-haul trips
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WHAT WE THINK
- What we think
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APPENDIX – METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Methodology
- Destination considerations for family holidays across different types of holidays
- Graph 18: destination considerations for family holidays across different types of holidays, 2026
- Inspiration channels for family holidays
- Graph 19: inspiration channels for family holidays, 2026
- Themes of interest for family holidays
- Graph 20: future holiday preferences, by the age of the oldest child*, 2026
- Definitions
Families with children remain one of the most stable and high-spending segments in the travel market. However, shifts in family structure, parenting mindsets and travel behaviour are reshaping how products are chosen. Domestic travel scenarios continue to diversify and the rise of shorter breaks alongside spring and autumn school holidays is further dispersing travel timing. At the same time, younger parents place greater value on relaxed forms of companionship. Against this backdrop, family decision‑making is no longer driven simply by whether children enjoy the experience. Instead, it depends on whether safety can genuinely support exploration, whether products reduce parental burden and whether brands can continue to provide reasons that justify making the trip.
Tina Cheng, Research Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report focuses on Chinese consumers with children aged 0-12 and examines their needs, decision-making logic and product expectations in family leisure travel.
In this Report, family holidays refer to leisure-led travel undertaken by families. The scope includes, but is not limited to, family holidays, short nearby trips, theme parks, nature and outdoor experiences, cultural experiences, family-friendly hotels, family activities and other travel products focused on leisure. It excludes travel mainly driven by school curricula, exam preparation, skills training or trips where children participate independently such as school-organised course activities, learning-focused camps and unaccompanied summer camps.
Travel products that combine educational and leisure elements such as study tours and educational travel are selectively included within the scope of this Report if their core experience focuses on having fun, relaxation, sightseeing, family companionship and interest exploration.
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