BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Beneath the cherry blossoms at Beijing's Yuyuantan Park, Chen, a visitor from south China's Guangdong Province, moved from photo spot to photo spot, capturing spring scenes with her two daughters.
It was the family's first trip to the Chinese capital, more than 2,000 kilometers from home.
"I've wanted to bring them to Beijing for a long time," Chen said. This year's Qingming Festival holiday, extended by a two-day school break, gave them the perfect opportunity to make the long journey.
In addition to Yuyuantan's famed cherry blossoms, the family planned to visit some of Beijing's best-known landmarks, including the Summer Palace and the Great Wall.
Their trip reflects a broader shift in how many Chinese families are spending the spring holiday season, as a growing number of cities experiment with short school spring breaks that are helping fuel domestic travel.
Nearly 100 cities from more than a dozen provincial-level regions have introduced spring breaks, said Ma Liang, a professor at the School of Government, Peking University. The impact has already shown up in travel data.
Flight bookings for teenagers aged 13 to 18 surged 85 percent during the extended holiday period from April 1 to 6, while bookings for children under 12 rose 55 percent, according to Qunar, a major online travel platform.
Meanwhile, data from telecom operator China Mobile indicated the share of cross-provincial travelers rose 12 percentage points year-on-year.
Spring outings have long been associated with Qingming, when families traditionally pay tribute to ancestors and also head outdoors to enjoy the season's fresh greenery and blossoms. This year, many young Chinese have added a new ritual to that tradition, the "color walk."
The social media trend encourages people to pick one color and then look for matching scenes and objects to photograph. The images are often brought together afterward as personal "spring diaries."
On lifestyle-sharing platform RedNote, the topic has drawn 310 million views and more than 1.88 million posts and discussions.
In the northwestern city of Xi'an, photography enthusiast Wu Yuxuan spent part of the holiday searching for shades of "warm yellow."
"My workdays move so fast that I always feel tense," he said. "Today, I'm just hunting for yellow, the bright blooms of winter jasmine, the warm glow of a street-corner shop. As I keep walking, my mind settles down."
Mental health professionals say the appeal may go beyond aesthetics.
By narrowing attention to a simple task like spotting a specific color, the "color walk" can help activate the brain's attention-control systems and alleviate stress, said Li Kunmei, a psychotherapist.
For those overwhelmed by constant information, it offers a way to regain focus and experience what Li described as "lightweight joy."
Tourism authorities across China have also been quick to tap into the trend, rolling out themed walking routes, color-coded check-in maps and photography contests linked to local landmarks and seasonal scenery.
Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism Industry at Beijing International Studies University, noted that the popularity of "color walk" reflects a growing demand for emotionally rewarding travel experiences.
She said destinations could do more to support that demand by improving infrastructure such as bike lanes and public transportation, making it easier for visitors to move between scenic "color spots" on foot, by bicycle or by bus.
Businesses, from souvenir sellers to restaurants and retailers, could also build on the theme to create more immersive springtime experiences for travelers, the professor added. ■
