Rise of the travel buddy trend in China

CNA

19 hours ago

SHANGHAI: Shenyang resident Shi Yunlin travelled nearly 2,000km to Shanghai to visit mainland China's only Disneyland theme park last month, where she indulged in sightseeing and taking rides.
However, the 23-year-old teacher did not have a partner or a friend for company.
Instead, she hired a local companion via social media to guide her around the park.
'My friends are all working, so it's not always convenient for them,' she said, adding that she felt bored travelling alone and wanted company for her trip.
'It's nice having someone to chat with and hang out together, just like being with a friend,' she said.
HIRING A TOUR GUIDE AND A FRIEND
Shi is part of a growing trend of young travellers within China who are hiring local companions, or personal guides, as they visit other cities.
The resurgence in domestic tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic has seen Chinese travellers making more than 5.6 billion local trips last year, up 15 per cent from a year ago – and approaching the peak of 6 billion trips in 2019.
Shi's guide for her trip was Chen Ziping, a 21-year-old university student who has worked as a freelance local companion at Disneyland for more than four years.
Shi told CNA that hiring Chen made her visit to the theme park much more convenient, easing her exploration and allowing her to get the most out of her time in the vast compound.
'In a place as big as this park, when I can't find something, he helps me navigate quickly. He also knows when the queues are shorter,' Shi said.
Chen's fees start from 1,000 yuan (US$140) for one to two people and 1,188 yuan for three visitors per day.
'At Disneyland, people usually come in twos or threes — with friends or as couples,' said Chen, noting that solo travellers might find it boring to wait in line alone.
Another local companion, Hao Yue, specialises in bringing clients around Shanghai, helping to take photographs and occasionally dining with them.
The 23-year-old said that aside from part-time income, the gig allowed her to make new friends and gain more knowledge.
'For example, one of my recent clients worked in finance and shared some insights. I learned a lot,' she added.
Hao charges 80 yuan per hour or 500 yuan per day. Her fee is about a quarter more than her average daily pay at her full-time job in a media company in Shanghai – a first-tier city with the highest wages in China.
PAYING FOR CONVENIENCE
A 10-year study published in January this year by the Fudan Development Institute, which looked at the spending habits of internet-savvy youths in China, found that they were more willing to splurge on food and entertainment that provided instant emotional gratification.
In comparison, they were less interested in spending on big-ticket items like cars, renovations and houses, according to the think tank.
Youths starting out in the workforce do not get much vacation time, with those who have worked between one and 10 years getting as few as five days of annual leave, according to statutory guidelines.
The limited amount of leave that youths get could make them more willing to spend on solutions for a more worthwhile holiday, said experts. This is especially true when touring massive attractions with steep entrance fees like Shanghai Disneyland, which spans about 4 sq km.
The park offers its own VIP tours, including providing visitors with fast passes to skip queues for rides and attractions. However, the service costs much more than what some unofficial companions charge.
Fresh graduate Chai Xiaoying, for instance, charges 500 yuan per day to show up to two people around, with her rate rising to 300 yuan per person during the summer vacation period.
In comparison, fees for the official VIP experience start from 4,400 yuan per visitor and each booking requires a minimum of a group of three.
Prices may vary depending on the season, according to the theme park.
Chai said she started her companionship services after realising she was not suited for the modern logistics management sector that she majored in.
'I thought, 'Worst case, I'll just have fun for two weeks'. But after I started, I found it was actually quite good,' she added.
While she was initially sceptical about the gig, Chai said that the demand is now good enough to turn into a viable full-time job.
INCREASED DEMAND
Those dabbling in such tour services said that business is thriving, with their customer base growing to include couples and families with children.
The market size of the companion economy could reach 50 billion yuan by the end of 2025, according to state media quoting a report by Chinese securities company Sinolink.
Chen, the university student, has even enlisted the help of a schoolmate and hired an assistant to take bookings and run errands, as demand for his services increase.
He said he plans to be a full-time local companion after completing his university education, noting the current difficulties experienced by graduates in their job hunt.
'I've discussed this with my parents. I told them the income is decent,' he added.
Official data released two months ago showed that China's youth unemployment rate stood at about 15.8 per cent for those aged 16 to 24.
Chai, the fresh graduate, said there will be more demand for local companion services as Shanghai Disneyland expands with new zones and rides over the next few years, along with the opening of new theme parks like Legoland next month.
'There's room for growth. Disneyland will only get better, and if we grow with them, there'll be lots of opportunities,' she said.