The summer spending frenzy in China, marked by notable consumption growth in tourism, entertainment and sports, has demonstrated service consumption's expansion potential and its contribution to the overall economic development of the country. This summer, China hosted around 37,000 cultural and tourism events spanning over 4,000 categories, catering to popular interests, such as night tours, summer getaways and family-friendly excursions, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Data from online travel services provider Ctrip shows a stable rise in the country's domestic tourism market, with internet searches for hotels and flight tickets up more than 20 percent year on year.
Domestic car rental orders increased by more than 40 percent year on year, and the single-day order volume hit a historic high on Ctrip with an increase of 50 percent year on year. The average car rental cost rose 20 percent compared to last summer. The robust demand for car rentals mirrors the surge in travel during the summer vacation, said Song Zhen, vice president of Ctrip Group, adding that the self-driving tourism market is gaining popularity, especially in northwest China.
The country's box office also heated up in the summer, surpassing 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion) over the weekend, according to ticketing platform data. Chinese consumers have become more interested in splashing the cash on sporting activities this summer, buoyed by the just-concluded Paris Olympic Games.
Data fr.