Chinese high school students spend more on their summer vacation than college undergraduates, says survey

According to the latest online travel survey, carried out right at the height of the summer tourist season, travel expenses of high school students noticeably exceed the ones of the college undergraduates. It has been revealed that over 62% of pupils spend more than ¥6,000 on their summer holiday, while over 76% of college students spend less than ¥3,000.

According to the research of Beijing Youth newspaper, Beijing high school students tend to go abroad to visit the most famous, entertaining and easily reached tourist attractions and sights, while college students prefer to have a good-value-for-money domestic travel experience. Moreover, pupils spend a great deal of money on souvenirs, which makes their 10-day trip cost about ¥20,000. College students, however, go on more money-saving trips, spending only ¥2,000 in 10 days – it is 10 time less than high school students’ expenses.

Hitchhike and take a nap in McDonald’s: 60% of college students can manage their trip with ¥1,000 in their pockets

According to an online survey, out of 2864 students from 28 cities all over the country, more than 60% can get by with ¥1,000 during their summer vacation, and over 70% spend less than ¥3,000.

Sleeping in 24/7 fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s, hitchhiking… From the frugal students’ point of view, these are the best ways to save money on a trip. Beijing Youth has discovered that college undergraduates prefer seating accommodation when travelling by train. In July, Peng Yuyang, a student of Beijing International Studies University, completed a 15-day journey to Tibet, having visited Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Shannan, with just ¥2,700 in his pocket.

Spending 40 hours sitting in a train with 28 other people, sleeping in a mixed dorm at a hostel for just ¥35，eating everyday only at a local lenten-food restaurant for ¥15, hunting for free tourist attractions that cannot be found in any guidebooks. Sharing his Tibet travel experience, Peng Yuyang is mostly excited about how he would save his money: “As for getting around, you just stand there on the road with a backpack on your shoulders and your hand pulled out – there’s always a chance to get a ride with so many people travelling in Tibet. If you’re hungry, you can scrounge some food at a local tavern – eating like that once a day, I didn’t spend any money at all”.

Tang, student of Beijing University of Engineering and Architecture, has just completed his 10-day journey from Beijing to Nanjing,Suzhou, Xitang and Shanghai, having spent about ¥800. He claims that this money-saving way of travelling has now become a common practice among college students: “There is no reason to envy those who spend a great deal travelling with their parents’ money”.

Buying famous brand watches and living by the sea: an average pupil spends more than¥10,000 on vacation

While college students get by with just ¥1,000, high school students’ travel expenses will take your breath away. According to an online survey, over 60% of younger students spend over ¥6,000 on travelling. Beijing Youth has revealed that travel expenses of a common Beijing high school student exceed ¥10,000.

Fengtai, a high school student, and her mother have just returned home from their 7-day trip to Japan, where they visited Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. Their expenses － all in all ¥36,000 – include ¥16,000 spent on shopping, Japanese delicacies to take home, souvenirs, tickets to attractions, and clothing. The student assumes that there is nothing unusual about spending such amount of money: “After all, we never have time for fun, and when there is no homework and pressure – why not enjoy ourselves and get a bit crazy?” The student also treated herself with a ¥4,000 Casio watch.

In July, a couple of students from school in Haidian district and their mothers went to Taiwan for ten days, and spent there about ¥10,000. «When we were staying in Kenting Town, we lived in an amazing Mediterranean style house with the sea view, ¥3,000 a night.

“My classmates and I went to Australia, and we each spent ¥38,000 in 10 days».She says that there is a great number of students who can afford to go on a vacation like this at leastonce a year, and the most popular destinations include such desirable places as Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, and many others.

College students prefer to travel independently; pupils choose to travel in groups

An online survey has revealed that 90% of college students opt for independent travelling: greater level of freedom also implies saving money. According to statistics, college undergraduates usually travel by train, subway, bus, bicycle, or hitchhike, or go by foot – all to save some money.

“Money-saving travelling and backpacking are a hallmark of college students,” said one student. Beijing college student Peng Yuyang claims that on the one hand, students skimp themselves with food when travelling, because they don’t have much money, and on the other hand, “travelling poor” allows them to live a unique experience: “Everybody can agree that travelling is all about the experience you get. Travelling with a group of other tourists is not only expensive but is also a buzz kill, since you don’t get to visit non-touristy places. Going to Great Canyon of Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, for example: it was too expensive to enter – ¥500, so I didn’t，and decided to walk along the shore and enjoy the view instead. Rapid flow of the water, mountains all around you, everything’s covered in fog – you get similar experience but for free”.

According to research, 97.2% of pupils, on the contrary， prefer to join tourist groups, since it is safer, and makes their parents worry less. This year, out a class of more than 30 people from school in Haidian district, 20 students joined together to go to Australia and New Zealand, having spent ¥38,000 each.

“Going on a bus tour together is safe. There is also a tourist guide and translator, awesome hotels are already booked for you, you get to see all the attractions… Can it get any better than this?” remarked one student names Yin. Yin also says that travelling alone can be dangerous and makes parents worry.