Millennials driving demand for Red tourism sites, figures show
Younger generation thirsty for patriotic education as Party marks its centennial
Red tourism, which refers to visits to sites with a modern revolutionary legacy, boomed in the first half of this year, with young people becoming the major driving force, an industrial report showed.
The report, released by Trip.com Group, an online travel agency in China, said the number of people booking tickets on its platform for Red tourism sites rose by 208 percent year-on-year from January to June. The figure also indicated a 35 percent jump from the same period of 2019.
Public interest in visiting Red tourism attractions surged as this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, industry insiders and travel agencies said.
Young people are the main consumers, with those born in the 1980s and 1990s accounting for 38 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of all tourists, according to data from Trip.com.
Also, customized tour packages related to Red tourism have become a favorite among young parents who intend to provide their children with patriotic education.
The over-50 age group gave a preference to group tours, accounting for more than 60 percent of visitors on such tours to Red tourism sites.
Among the most popular attractions in the first half of this year were Tian’anmen Square and the Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution in Beijing, Jinggang Mountains in Jiangxi province, and Baiyangdian Lake in Hebei province, the report said.
Jiang Meiya, a 19-year-old university student, paid a visit to the New Culture Movement Memorial of Beijing earlier this month.
“By traveling to old revolutionary sites like this, I learned more about the history of the CPC. The pioneers’ images became more vivid and complex to me,” Jiang said.
Zou Qingling, CEO of online travel service provider Lvmama, said she was pleased to see a growing number of young people visiting Red tourism attractions. “It’s a manifestation of national pride and Chinese people’s cultural confidence,” Zou said.
As China’s tourism has achieved leapfrog development in recent years, Red tourism is no longer a boring and tedious traveling experience, said Feng Rao, head of the research institute of Mafengwo, a Chinese travel website.
It has gradually gained popularity among younger generations through various cultural products and interactive exhibits supported by cuttingedge technologies, Feng said.
For example, Nanchang August 1 Memorial Hall uses holograms and virtual reality to present 3D reproductions of battles from the Nanchang Uprising. The military engagement, which took place on
Aug 1, 1927, was the first major conflict led by the CPC to counter anticommunist purges by the Kuomintang.
In Yan’an, Shaanxi province, the terminus of the Red Army’s Long March, visitors flocked to Red Street for the large-scale immersive play, Back to Yan’an.
The drama uses special effects to simulate historic scenes, telling a moving story of the Long March and allowing audiences to relive the glorious years.
Lu Juan, deputy head of the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration, said the industry needs more innovative products and communication to bring history to life and strengthen ties with young people.
Red tourism will remain a popular choice for travelers during the two-month summer holiday, which started on July 1, online travel agency Ly.com forecast. Some regions, such as Yunnan and Fujian provinces, have recently launched hundreds of Red tourism routes to attract more tourists.