Chongqing - Instant retail, from light travel to local purchases, is emerging as a popular trend among Chinese travelers, according to a recently unveiled consumption report for the just passed 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day travel season from Meituan Flash Sale, China's premier food delivery service.

Interestingly, the findings reveal a 37% surge in immediate orders from Meituan's flash deals. Orders originating from locations other than the purchase site saw an impressive rise of 86%. Cities like Chengdu, Shenyang, Xi'an, Shenzhen, and Chongqing topped the charts for this uptick in non-local orders.

Immediate and non-local orders during the 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day travel season from the Meituan Flash Sale. (Graphics/Chen Zhan)

"Ahead of my trips, I always fret about forgetting things," said a Chongqing citizen. "This year, I've almost traveled with just an empty bag. When I visited Lijiang, I discovered that even oxygen bottles are available for delivery, and they're brought to the hotel in about half an hour."

The report indicates that the simultaneous celebration of the dual festivals, combined with the appeal of gift offers and the allure of travel, fuels this spending spree. 

Items closely associated with travel experiences witnessed the most significant jumps from the Meituan Flash Sale. (Graphics/Chen Zhan)

The report shows that items associated with travel experiences witnessed the most significant jumps. This includes sectors like digital appliances, beauty & personal care, sports & outdoor, mother & baby toys, and daily clothing, which experienced order boosts of 141%, 112%, 100%, 94%, and 88%, respectively.

Many travelers prefer to use their personal items, such as bed sheets, pillowcases, and other bedding essentials. The orders for these items skyrocketed, showing a surge of 528% and 520% compared to the period before the holidays.

Orders for essentials like luggage and portable chargers also significantly increased, with growth rates of 381% and 316% compared to the pre-holiday season.