Walking more than 30,000 steps a day, staying awake for two consecutive days and nights, and visiting more than ten places in a single day – if there wasn't the latest travel craze to sweep China, people may mistake it for special forces-style military training.

The term "Special Forces-style Tourism" has gained popularity on China's social media platforms of late. It refers to the recent trend among young people to visit as many attractions and try as much delicious food as possible while spending the least amount of time and money.

When it comes to the major expense of travel, namely accommodation, China’s "special forces" have their own solutions. Some young travelers choose to stay overnight in private rooms at 24-hour chain restaurants like Haidilao hot pot, or in cheap venues such as bathhouses or internet cafes to save money. Others choose to spend the night on forms of transportation, such as taking sleeper trains.

According to a travel consumption report released by one of China's major travel platforms, Tongcheng Travel, during this year's Labor Day holiday, the domestic tourism market experienced a consumption boom. Peak daily orders for hotels, scenic spots, and transportation exceeded those of the peak day during this year's Spring Festival.

Among domestic destinations, the proportion of student groups in the travel population has significantly increased, with new types of travel such as "Special Forces-style Tourism" driving the diversified development of the domestic tourism market.

Opinions on this new fad are divided. Some criticize it as meaningless, stating that one could spend two or three days just exploring the Forbidden City, and they do not understand how students can properly visit ten attractions in just 48 hours. Others express concern about the physical condition of these young travelers. Meanwhile, some believe this kind of spontaneous and even borderline reckless way of traveling is simply an expression of youthful exuberance.

Why is "Special Forces-style Tourism" proving so popular among college students?

According to Deng Jing, a professor of cultural and tourism management at Chengdu Jincheng College in Sichuan, there are three main reasons:

First, college students may have a psychological inclination to engage in "revenge tourism" consumption due to the previous pandemic restrictions. Second, they generally have good physical fitness and enough energy to practice this high-intensity travel style. Last of all, college students have limited travel budgets, and this type of travel without overnight accommodations can reduce their expenses.