In recent days, Chengdu and its surrounding areas have seen a surge in travel. Platform data shows that during the autumn holiday, overall ticket bookings within Sichuan Province surged 3.4 times compared to last year, and increased 1.4 times compared to the five days preceding the holiday.

This surge in travel has directly fueled the growth of surrounding industries: hotels in areas like Xiling Snow Mountain and Qingcheng Mountain are fully booked, turning the off-season into peak season; trendy cafes in Qingcheng Mountain are packed to capacity. Meanwhile, demand from families with children has also boosted the educational tours and childcare markets.

Tickets for Jiuzhaigou, Sanxingdui, and other sites are nearly sold out

On November 12, Sichuan welcomed its first autumn holiday, with Chengdu and surrounding scenic spots experiencing peak visitor traffic.

As of now, tickets for Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area from November 14 to 16 are nearly sold out. Data from Meituan Travel shows that ticket bookings for Jiuzhaigou surged 158% year-on-year between November 5 and 12, with Chengdu visitors accounting for 43% of bookings.

The Sanxingdui Museum mini-program shows that tickets for November 14-15 are sold out.

On the first day of the holiday, Xiling Snow Mountain Scenic Area welcomed over 10,000 visitors, with total foot traffic surging more than threefold compared to usual days. Family groups with children significantly increased their share of visitors, becoming the primary driver of this growth.

On the same day, the Jinjiang River night cruise project accommodated over 2,000 passengers, marking a year-on-year increase of approximately 468%.

Qunar Travel data indicates that from November 12 to 16, ticket bookings for numerous Sichuan attractions surged significantly. During the autumn holiday, overall ticket bookings within Sichuan Province increased by 3.4 times compared to last year and rose by 1.4 times compared to the five days preceding the holiday.

On the platform, popular Sichuan attractions during the autumn holiday primarily focused on natural landscapes and theme parks. The top five attractions by ticket bookings were Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, Bipenggou, Huanglong Scenic Area, Mount Emei, and Siguniang Mountain Scenic Area. Simultaneously, the autumn holiday drove ticket bookings at multiple popular attractions to more than double compared to last year. Bipenggou saw a 16.4-fold increase in ticket bookings year-on-year, while Siguniang Mountain's Shuangqiaogou Scenic Area surged 6.9-fold and Chengdu Zoo rose 5.3-fold.

Many scenic area hotels are fully booked

The surge in travel has boosted nearby lodging and dining consumption

Most hotels within the Xiling Snow Mountain scenic area are experiencing high booking demand, with family rooms and other room types fully booked, and some hotels completely sold out. One hotel located halfway up Xiling Snow Mountain has all rooms reserved from November 12 to November 15. “We have over 90 rooms in total. Due to the autumn break these days, what was originally the off-season has turned into peak season, and everything is fully booked,” explained a staff member.

Meituan Travel data shows that searches for “Sichuan Four Girls Mountain Town accommodations” surged 282% year-over-year, while searches for “Xiling Snow Mountain private hot spring hotels” rose 260%. Chengdu tourists emerged as the largest source of hotel searches for Xiling Snow Mountain. Staff at a manor hotel in Huashuiwan Town, Dayi County, revealed that all 63 rooms were fully booked yesterday. “During the autumn break, many families with children choose to come for the hot springs,” they noted. A private hot spring hotel in Qingcheng Mountain reported that its twin rooms, family rooms, and parent-child rooms were fully booked over the past two days.

Ye Yu Coffee, a popular internet-famous café on the front slopes of Mount Qingcheng, also offers lodging. “During the autumn holiday, not only homestays but also cafés have seen a noticeable uptick in business,” said Wang Xin, the café's manager. “Out of the five days, two were fully booked, and three others were nearly full.”

Study tour programs reach capacity

Beyond scenic spots, many families opt for study tour agencies to explore the wider world with their children through rural landscapes and exhibition halls. Several agencies near Chengdu have capitalized on the autumn break by launching diverse half-day or full-day educational excursions.

Outdoors in nature, children picked kumquats, made jam, and sketched the scenery. “We prepared outdoor learning activities specifically for the autumn break. Within two days, we received over 60 student registrations and reached full capacity,” explained Teacher Shu, director of Xili Hutou Art Life Studio.

On Cuman Road in Wuhou District, children experienced farm life at a local agricultural facility. Donning straw hats and wielding tools, they transformed into “little farmers.” On the first day of the break, they enjoyed the fun of carrying grain on shoulder poles and digging sweet potatoes by hand, gaining a deeper appreciation for the journey food takes from field to table.

Beyond the popularity of educational institutions, many childcare centers also saw a surge in inquiries.

Li Wenbo, head of the Neighborhood Platform at Erxianqiao Street Social Work Support Center in Chenghua District, explained that the center offers holiday childcare during winter and summer breaks to meet family needs. For this autumn break, they specially prepared the “Fun-Finder” childcare program: Day One featured nature and animal exploration, Day Two focused on science and art appreciation, and Day Three offered history and intangible cultural heritage experiences. The activities included both free and paid options, ranging from field trips to indoor science lectures.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong