Ctrip, an online travel agency, surveyed its Chinese customers. Over 89% of 100 million respondents said they traveled with their kids from May 2017 till now. About half of the children were aged 6 to 14.

"There is a potential market of more than 300 million middle and primary school students, which deserves our attention," Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, told China Youth Daily. "The market is getting bigger."

According to Ctrip's research report, the market scale of online family trips reached about 20.7 billion yuan (USD 3.23 billion) in 2016, which is expected to reach 50 billion yuan this year.

Travel companies can find new business opportunities in innovative children-oriented products, since young parents often care more about experience than the price of a trip.

In terms of accommodation, about half of Ctrip's interviewees chose luxurious hotels, equipped with children's breakfast, separate bed and better washing tools, the report said.

Ctrip released benchmarks for family rooms in late May. The new standards emphasize larger space, cartoon designs, customized bathrobe, slippers, toys, reading materials for kids; sufficient drinking water supply and free extra bed.

The company said it expects to include on its website and app 10,000 such rooms in 1,000 hotels nationwide as soon as possible.

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