- Holiday queries for itineraries jump more than fourfold
- Shift signals move from search to full-service digital assistants
Alibaba’s Qwen AI assistant experienced a spike in travel-related queries during China’s May Day holiday, as users increasingly relied on the tool to plan and book entire trips rather than just seek information.
Requests such as “help me plan a trip” jumped more than 400% from typical levels between May 1 and May 5, with “where to travel during the holiday” ranking as the most frequently asked question.
Travel-related queries accounted for a sharply higher share of total usage, with nearly 90% of users asking for destination ideas and full itineraries. About 60% went further, requesting help with bookings including hotels and train tickets.
Users asked Qwen to recommend lesser-known destinations, map out multi-day itineraries and design self-driving routes, reflecting a broader shift in expectations for AI tools—from answering questions to executing tasks.
The app has expanded its capabilities since launching in November 2025, integrating services such as instant retail, movie ticketing, travel bookings and ride-hailing.
In late April, it opened its “AI tasking” feature to external partners, starting with China Eastern Airlines, enabling end-to-end flight services including search, booking and changes.
Holiday periods such as Lunar New Year and May Day have become key testing grounds for these features. With a single prompt, users can generate full travel plans covering attractions, food and routes, while also booking flights, hotels and tickets—and even arranging transport to the airport on departure day.
