China - April 01, 2025 Storyline: Spring travel boom gives China's aviation sector a lift-off [Voice_over] The colorful cherry tree blossoms that dot Wuxi City's rolling hills are a big tourist draw this time of year during China's off-peak spring travel season. Flower destinations are among the top choice for travelers, along with famed scenic spots in southwest China's Yunnan Province, as well as destinations like Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. According to data from a Chinese aviation app, there were more than 280,000 flights and 36 million passenger trips during the month of March. Tourists say traveling during less busy times is a smart option. [Sound_bite] Tourist: "We are heading to Sanya. Traveling now is both convenient and cost-effective." [Voice_over] But off-peak travel can't last forever. Officials from the aviation app are already reporting an increase in bookings for the April fourth Tomb-Sweeping Day, and May Day holidays with Hainan, Shaanxi, and Guizhou all popular destinations. [Sound_bite] Wang Diansheng, Data expert, Umetrip: "So far, domestic airline ticket bookings for the Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday season have surpassed 1.75 million, up 12 percent from the previous year. Generally speaking, the travel demand is much stronger than previous years." [Voice_over] In addition to increasing the number of flights for the next round of holiday travel, airports are also upgrading their infrastructure with smart check-in kiosks and automated baggage handling services. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]