STORY: Travel sharing gaining popularity among Chinese youths
DATELINE: Oct. 27, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: NANJING, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Chinese tourists
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): XU TINGTING, Manager of clothing stores in Nanjing

STORYLINE:

Travel sharing, a new model of sharing economy, is gaining popularity among Chinese youths as it makes travel more affordable and accessible.

This new way of travel means going on trips with strange partners, sharing some travel expenses such as costs of meals, tickets and transportation, as agreed in advance.

The initiators usually post messages on online social platforms to group a travel squad for a journey. They will generally take into consideration factors like dietary habits, consumption standards, and lifestyles when choosing suitable companions.

Xu Tingting, a manager of clothing stores in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, is an "expert" on sharing tourism, with more than 10 experiences of shared travels.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): XU TINGTING, Manager of clothing stores in Nanjing
"My first shared travel experience was when I visited Cambodia in 2017. The tourism attractions were quite far from our accommodation, so we had to hire a car to get there every day. In my opinion, if we formed a travel squad of four people, we could collectively hire a car, which would be more cost-effective, and enjoy more local dishes with travel companions. Additionally, traveling in a group helps avoid the loneliness and we can take photos for each other.
During shared travel, most of the memories are good. You get the chance to learn more about your travel companions of different ages, their experiences and preferences, which may inspire you."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanjing, China.
(XHTV)