Chongqing – The morning air is crisp, mountain breezes drift through the valleys, and the temperature hovers at a refreshing level well below the sweltering heat of the lowlands. Yet for Chen Yong, who runs a small guesthouse here, the cool weather is not translating into the usual summer rush.
“In previous years, every room would be booked solid by this time. My wife and I couldn’t handle it alone — we’d hire two or three helpers. This year, we still have plenty of vacancies,” Chen said as he swept the courtyard and tended to his flowers. He has even lowered his rates — rooms now go for 168 yuan (about $24.70) per night — but the bookings haven’t followed.
Children cool off by a waterfall stream at the Simian Mountain Scenic Area in Jiangjin. (Photo/Zheng Yu)
Chen’s experience reflects a broader shift across Chongqing’s high-altitude summer retreats. For years, destinations such as Huangshui in Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, Nantian Lake in Fengdu, Xiannü Mountain in Wulong, Kanggu Valley in Chengkou County, Heishan Valley in Wansheng, and Simian Mountain in Jiangjin — along with neighboring hotspots like Sumadang in Hubei and Tongzi County in Guizhou — enjoyed booming summer economies. But this year, many operators are asking the same question: Where have all the tourists gone?
Market Data Tells a Different Story
The paradox is that overall demand for summer travel has not declined—in fact, it has grown substantially.
According to Tongcheng Travel’s 2026 Summer Retreat Trend Report, bookings for summer-themed tour packages on its platform rose more than 20% month over month in July, while searches related to “summer escape” surged by over 50% in the past week.
Qunar data shows that flight bookings for summer travel increased 1.2 times week over week. Family trips accounted for 45% of summer bookings, while flight bookings for travelers aged 19–22 grew at the fastest rate among all age groups. Car rental bookings for self-drive trips rose nearly 60%.
Fliggy’s 2026 Summer Travel Trends Report indicates that summer travel bookings on its platform grew more than 40% year over year. Family travelers and college students were the primary drivers, with bookings up 31% and 58%, respectively. Outbound tour package bookings surged 108% year over year, with South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore among the top destinations.
A resident tries stand-up paddleboarding on the Sancha River in the old town of Qianjiang District. (Photo/Yang Min)
“The summer retreat market hasn’t shrunk — it’s actually growing,” said Yang Han, a researcher at Qunar’s Big Data Institute. “But consumer behavior is changing. Travelers are no longer just looking for a cool place. They want experiences that offer ecological richness, cultural depth, and activities that appeal to the whole family.”
From “Go Where It’s Cool” to “Go Where It’s Meaningful”
The data reveals three key shifts:
1. Diversified demand. While traditional summer destinations — Guizhou, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and Jilin — remain popular, travelers are increasingly seeking eco-resorts, seaside getaways, and grassland retreats that offer more than just low temperatures.
2. All-age travel. Multi-generational family trips are on the rise, with parents, children, and even grandparents traveling together.
3. Dispersed destinations. Younger travelers in particular are discovering “hidden gem” cool towns. Based on accommodation bookings, places like Shangri-La, Jiuzhaigou, Kangding, Leishan, Fusong, Songpan, and Mohe rank among the hottest summer spots — all offering not just cool weather but also stunning natural scenery and rich cultural attractions.
Some Chinese travelers are even flying to the Southern Hemisphere for “counter-season” summer escapes. In the first two weeks of July, flight bookings from China to New Zealand and Australia rose more than 60% month-over-month, according to Tongcheng Travel.
Tapping into “Emotional Value”
So how can traditional summer retreats win back visitors?
Industry experts say the answer lies in offering what travelers increasingly crave: emotional value.
“Emotional value has become a critical factor influencing travel decisions and driving word-of-mouth recommendations,” said Professor Luo Zibo, Chief Expert of the Yangtze River Tourism Research Base at the China Tourism Academy and Director of the Chongqing Cultural Tourism Development Research Center. “Summer destinations need to upgrade their offerings — developing wellness tourism, sports retreats, forest therapy, and rural experiences that provide distinctive, competitive services.”
A child plays by the stream in Dihuo Village, Jiaoshi Town, Fuling District, enjoying the refreshing coolness. (Photo/Zhang Chunxiao)
Chongqing is already responding.
On July 16, the 2026 “Three Gorges Cool Capital” (Fengjie) Tujia Ethnic Tourism and Culture Festival kicked off in Xinglong Resort, Fengjie County. With the theme “Summer at 22°C+,” the festival runs through late August and features Tujia folk songs, nightly bonfire dances, street dance invitationals, cycling races, a girls’ fair, and herb-picking events — creating an immersive, all-age summer experience.
Wulong District has also launched a rural tourism campaign under the banner “Hidden Summer Escape · Savor Wulong,” introducing cliffside plank walks, forest treks, creek rappelling, and starry camping, alongside music and summer cool-down festivals.
“These activities deliver high emotional value to visitors and will further activate experience-driven consumption,” Luo added.
For Chen Yong and thousands of other guesthouse operators across Chongqing’s mountain villages, the message is clear: cool air alone is no longer enough. To thrive in this new era of summer travel, they must offer not just a place to escape the heat, but a place to connect — with nature, with culture, and with each other.