Amusement park bookings soar despite slumping mercury

Despite the recent plummeting temperatures in China, the travel market of amusement parks is witnessing a boom with intensive launches of new IPs and attractions.

Since December, reservations for admission to domestic amusement parks have surged more than 800 percent from the same period last year, and bookings for entry scheduled in January have grown 26 percent from December, Shanghai-based online travel operator Trip.com revealed.

It cited the world's first Zootopia-themed land, which will officially open to the public at Shanghai Disney Resort on December 20, and the opening of World of Frozen, the world's first and largest "Frozen" themed land at Hong Kong Disneyland last month, for the significant growth.

"I have been to Shanghai Disney Resort three times and I will pay another visit on December 20 just for the Zootopia-themed land," said a tourist surnamed Li, who has bought a ticket for the day.

"I am interested in the trackless ride at the new themed land and am eager to take photos with Judy Hopps (the rabbit) and Nick Wilde (the fox)," she added.

Universal Beijing Resort has also launched a series of winter activities like snowflakes and lights.

Ti Gong

Meanwhile, the travel market for the upcoming three-day New Year holiday is heating up quickly, major travel operators revealed.

Tongcheng Travel said with the gradual increase in international flight capacity and supply of outbound tour products, the popularity index of outbound tourism during the holiday had grown 500 percent so far from the same period last year.

Skiing, hot spring, northern lights, concerts, beach resorts, cruise tours, fireworks shows and staycation at hotels are the most popular holiday choices for Chinese tourists, it said.

Enjoying some leisure time at hotels has become an option for many young people, with bookings for hotels in cities where people reside surging more than 500 percent during the holiday from normal, according to the online travel operator.

Shanghai Spring Tour said on Wednesday that reservations for domestic tour products for the holiday had already surpassed that of the same period in 2019.

Among those making orders, tourists planning ski trips grew 200 percent from 2019, it revealed.

Meanwhile, all balcony rooms on China's first domestically-built large cruise ship, the "Adora Magic City," during the holiday had been sold out, Shanghai Spring Tour added.