MoonFox Analysis | From Significant Growth to Rational Cooling: The Study Tour Market Enters a Transitional Phase

About us: Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) established in 2011, is a leading customer engagement and marketing technology service provider in China. Its business includes notification services, marketing growth, development tools, and data products. As its sub-brand, MoonFox Data is a leading expert in data insights and analysis services across all scenarios, aiming to help companies gain market insights and empower precise decision-making.

SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the beginning of 2024, the study tour market has demonstrated strong overall performance, marked by a significant increase in cultural tourism orders during peak holiday seasons, including summer and National Day. Financial reports from companies such as New Oriental and Shandong Publishing Group indicate a year-over-year rise in revenue from their study tour segments. Additionally, the involvement of internet celebrity Zhang Xuefeng has further heightened interest in the industry. However, the market is also encountering challenges, including disarray and a decline in high-end products. As demand becomes more rational and competition intensifies, the industry is entering a transformative phase characterized by both opportunities and challenges.

I.    Industry background: Favorable Policies and Detailed Implementation Drive Growth in Study Tour Procurement and Training Bases, Indicating a Strong Demand-Supply Balance

Study tours represent a new business model that merges education, culture, and tourism, effectively combining educational functions with cultural tourism elements. As demand for quality education rises and the tourism economy recovers, study tours have evolved into a significant niche within both the cultural tourism and education sectors. According to the China Tourism Academy, from January to July 2024, the domestic procurement and bidding for school-related study tours exceeded the same period in 2023, with expectations for the full year to significantly surpass 2019 levels.

In terms of industry development, ongoing policy support is being provided by various government departments, which are allocating resources and safeguards to facilitate sector growth. This support promotes the establishment of study tour camps, courses, and instructor training. Different regions are also tailoring their initiatives to align with local characteristics. For instance, in Sichuan Province, the Study Tour Industry Promotion Association launched a New Business Integration Branch on September 20 to innovate the "Study Tour +" development model and create new business forms within the study tour sector.

Statistics of 2023 Policy Documents Issued by Departments on Study Tour

Data Source: China Tourism Association Parent-Child Travel & Youth Camps Branch

Data Cycle: 2023

As of June 2024, the Ministry of Education had approved 581 national-level study tour education bases and 40 study tour camps for primary and secondary school students. This increase in the number of bases, camps, and cultural venues, along with the development of related courses and itineraries, has enhanced the study tour product offerings significantly.

2023 New Study Tour Practice Education Base and Camp Statistics

Data Source: China Tourism Association Parent-Child Travel & Youth Camps Branch

Data Cycle: 2023

According to data from MoonFox iMarketing, the percentage of users engaging with educational products on mobile tourism platforms has risen from 81.2% in July 2024 to 81.9% in September 2024. This significant overlap in user demographics presents considerable market potential for the study tour sector.

II.   Market Performance: Revenue Growth for Multiple Enterprises in the Study Tour Sector, Supply and Channel Capabilities Further Enhanced

As a cross-industry business model, study tours encompass a variety of stakeholders, including cultural tourism groups, educational institutions, and internet companies. The rapid growth in demand and the increasing popularity of this sector have attracted more participants to the market. According to data from Qcc.com, 2,974 study tour-related companies were registered in 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 76.81%. Currently, the total number of entities involved in the study tour market has surpassed 30,000.

Representative Enterprises' Study Tour Business Layout

New Oriental has made significant strides in developing new business models since 2021, particularly in the study tour sector. By leveraging its existing business experience, teaching staff, cultural assets, and brand strengths, the company has achieved rapid growth. According to official sources, XDF Cultural Tourism, a division of New Oriental, focuses on international study tours, domestic study tours, and camp education. It offers a range of products based on global study tour resources, targeting parent-child groups, K-12 students, and university students. As of the Q1 2025 financial report, New Oriental has expanded its study tour and camp business to over 55 cities nationwide. Revenue from study tours and camps catering to K-12 and college students rose by 221% year-over-year during this quarter, with the top ten cities accounting for more than 55% of total revenue.

Among cultural enterprises, Shandong Publishing Group reported a revenue growth of over 60% year-on-year in its study tour and cultural tourism business during the first half of 2024. The company is focusing on developing a branded study tour curriculum, exploring new operational models, expanding its unique study tour camp clusters, and implementing smart camp systems to enhance operational efficiency and brand recognition.

Mind Education, which specializes in K-12 study tours as well as summer and winter camps, achieved a year-on-year revenue increase of 66.64% in the same period. The performance of both the study tour and camp sectors improved, with the company narrowing its semi-annual losses by RMB 1.53 million compared to the previous year.

Various companies are now concentrating on diversifying their product lines and strengthening their promotional channels in the study tour market. Gaotu Cultural Tourism has formed partnerships with several organizations, including the China Meteorological Service Association and local government bodies, to collaboratively develop study tour products and intellectual properties. Meanwhile, XDF Cultural Tourism has entered into multi-party strategic agreements with platforms like Fliggy and the Zhejiang Museums Society Study Tour Special Committee to enhance the promotion of study tours across multiple channels. Shandong Publishing Group has also established a resource library of key opinion leaders (KOLs) and developed a "KOL + experiential" customized travel model aimed at family and study tours.

Overall, in the first half of 2024, leading players in the study tour sector have successfully capitalized on rising demand, achieving revenue growth and expanding their businesses by enhancing supply chains and fostering collaboration to improve market competitiveness.

III. Development Analysis: Emerging Issues of "Tour Without Learning," Product Homogeneity, and Overpricing Drive Rational Demand and Industry Transformation

While the study tour sector has experienced rapid growth, several challenges have emerged, including the phenomenon of "tour without learning," mismatched quality and pricing, product homogeneity, and inadequate safety measures. In response to these issues, consumer spending has become more rational, leading to a decrease in overall order prices. The industry is now entering a phase of transformation, characterized by upgrades in both demand and supply.

Data from MoonFox iMarketing, which analyzes online travel user preferences, shows that the Target Group Index (TGI) for higher education and vocational education has surpassed 130. This indicates that the current study tour market, which primarily focuses on parent-child and K-12 sectors, has significant potential for expansion. There is an opportunity to develop products targeting college students and working professionals, thereby diversifying the potential user base and reducing the impact of off-peak seasons. Concurrently, users' expectations are rising, with increasing demands for higher quality in study tour courses, educational outcomes, immersive experiences, and supporting services.

TGI of 2024 September Online Tourism App Education Industry Preferences

Data Source: MoonFox iMarketing

Data Cycle: September 2024

As demand evolves and competition intensifies, cross-industry collaborations and resource integration will become essential strategies for the study tour sector. By partnering across various industries and target demographics, stakeholders can leverage their unique strengths to enhance cultural tourism and educational resources. This collaboration will facilitate the co-development of study tour routes and courses, allowing for a deeper integration of educational and cultural tourism services, thereby increasing the overall value of study tours.

As product standards become clearer and quality improves, the market is expected to see an increase in volume and a decrease in prices, leading to varied performances among companies. Industry leaders will distinguish themselves through advantages in resources, product offerings, and brand strength, which will expedite the exit of less competitive players from the market.

Moreover, in the context of globalization, international education and inbound tourism remain popular, and the internationalization of study tours is anticipated to accelerate. This trend will manifest through more international collaboration projects, the development of inbound study tour services, and alignment of curriculum systems with international standards, creating opportunities for global expansion in the sector.

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