Overall popularity and scale:
Demand surge: From the end of the college entrance examination to the period of college application, the booking popularity for tourism among high school graduates increased by approximately 137% year-on-year, and the search popularity for "graduation trips" rose by over 60% year-on-year.
Outbound travel by airlines' proportion rises: In the travel structure of graduates, outbound short-haul trips accounted for about 23%, and outbound travel orders increased by approximately 153% year-on-year. They are among the main young tourists in countries with visa-free or visa-on-arrival policies such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and others.
Application peak: In June, immigration and passport offices across various regions witnessed a peak in passport applications. The student group accounted for approximately one-third of the processing volume.
✈️ Popular outbound destinations
Graduates tend to choose destinations with convenient visas, short airlines' flight times, and good value for money:
Short-haul destinations in Southeast Asia/East Asia: Thailand (Phuket, etc.), Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea (Seoul/Jeju Island), Japan are the most popular; Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia also have some popularity.
New visa-free/unique routes: Turkey (with new visa-free benefits in 2026), Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan, etc., in the Silk Road culture tours in Central Asia have seen a significant growth rate, and Russia is also favored.
Long-haul high-end: Some families with study plans will choose to go on study tours in the UK, the US, Australia, or Europe (France, Italy, etc.), but this accounts for a small proportion and requires advance visa processing.
Travel methods and consumption characteristics (05-year-old graduates)
Group self-guided travel: Over 40% of high school graduates choose to travel with classmates or friends, preferring self-guided or semi-self-guided trips. They use AI tools and social platforms to plan their own routes and reject traditional large groups.
Consumption segmentation: The average budget is mostly between RMB2,000 and RMB8,000. Short-haul budget travel and high-end customized small groups coexist; parents are the main financiers (about 87%), with requirements for safety and service guarantees.
Graduation certificate discount: Many travel agencies and scenic spots offer discounts with graduation certificates or exclusive graduation tours, and the "graduation certificate economy" has been fully rolled out.
⏰ Travel time nodes
The first wave: From June 10th after the college entrance examination until the results are announced (in the second half of June), it is mainly short-haul trips to neighboring countries or domestic tours for graduates.
The second wave: From mid-July to early August, after the admission letters are issued, family outbound trips and long-haul tours with family accompaniment or study tours occur as the second peak.
Overall, after the college entrance examination in 2026, outbound travel by graduates is more active than in previous years. Short-haul visa-free countries are the absolute mainstream, while long-haul trips are mainly family accompaniment or study tours; this group of students pays more attention to "self-experience", group self-guided travel, and social sharing, rather than simply sightseeing.