More people blazing their own tour trails

Self-guided tours have become the most popular alternatives for Chinese residents during their Spring Festival holiday, according to research released by the National Tourism Administration on Thursday.

Over 50 percent of Chinese families will take a self-planned trip during the seven-day break. High-quality services and branded travel agencies are being considered by travelers rather than price, the administration said in its Tour Guide for the Spring Festival Holiday.

The guide shows that nearly 40 percent of those with travel plans have signed contracts with well-known travel agents, while only 6.2 percent reserved low-price products offered by lesser-known agencies.